§ Mr. StanbrookTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to help Central African Federation pensioners who elected to have their pensions paid in Zambian kwacha and who now suffer hardship as a result of the devaluation of that currency.
§ Mr. Chris PattenAt the recent intergovernmental meeting in Harare the four guarantor Governments agreed that all Central African Federation pensioners should be allowed to receive payment in Zimbabwe dollars with effect from 1 April 1989. At current exchange rates this will produce increases of about 500 per cent. for pensioners currently paid in Zambia kwacha, and also significant increases for those currently paid in Malawi kwacha and those paid in a basket of the three currencies. The British Government have agreed to finance this change in currency of payment at an estimated cost of £1.5 million.