HC Deb 08 February 1995 vol 254 cc282-5W
Mr. Mackinlay

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the total cost and any other subventions paid from United Kingdom public funds to the(a) defence, (b) administration, (c) economic and social generation and (d) promotion of interest for each colony or dependent territory in each of the last five years.

Mr. Baldry

The total amount paid from United Kingdom public funds to the dependent territories over the past five financial years is estimated to be in the region of £1 billion.

To provide a breakdown per subject and territory, as requested by the hon. Member, could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Mr. Mackinlay

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the total contribution to imperial functions and services paid to the Exchequer from the local governments by each of the colonies or dependent territories over each of the last five years; and if he will list the contributions made towards the cost of(a) defence, (b) the civil list and (c) consular and other services provided by his Department abroad.

Mr. Baldry

The total contribution to United Kingdom public funds made by the dependent territories over the past five financial years is estimated to be £382 million.

To provide a breakdown per territory and subject heading, as requested by the hon. Member, could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Mr. Mackinlay

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs by which method voters in the colonies and dependent territories are able to influence(a) foreign policy, (b) defence policy and (c) policing policy; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Baldry

All three policy areas fall within the reserve powers of the governors of dependent territories, as laid down in the respective constitutions.

However, control of the individual budgets for some of these powers rests with the elected local government—for example, the police budget in the Caribbean dependent territories—and this allows the electorate to influence policy decisions. Members of legislative councils may appeal to the governor in respect of decisions relating to his reserve powers and in some territories the governor takes advice from statutory advisory bodies and public committees, for example, the Police Complaints Committee in Hong Kong.

Governors have authority to delegate aspects of their reserve powers to elected Ministers, examples of which include certain policing matters in Bermuda and contacts with regional organisations in Anguilla and Montserrat.

Mr. Mackinlay

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the names of all the governors of the colonies and dependent territories, with the names and functions of each official member of the local government or legislature who are appointed by his Department or governor.

Mr. Baldry

The following are the names of the governors of the dependent territories and the names of official members of the government or legislature appointed by governors:

  • Anguilla
  • Governor: Alan W. Shave, CVO, OBE
  • Deputy Governor and ex-officio member of the House of Assembly: Harry McCrory, LVO, OBE
  • Attorney General and ex-officio member of the House of Assembly: Kurt DeFreitas
  • Second Nominated Member to the House of Assembly (Governor's appointee): Vacant

British Indian Ocean Territory

  • Commissioner: David Maclennan (non-resident)

Turks and Caicos Islands

  • Governor: Martin Bourke
  • Chief Secretary and ex-officio member of the Legislative Assembly: Roger Cousins
  • Attorney General and ex-officio member of the Legislative Council: David Ballantyne
  • Second Nominated member of the Legislature Assembly (Governor's appointee): Vacant

Montserrat

  • Governor: Frank Savage, LVO, OBE
  • Attorney General and ex-officio member of the Legislative Assembly: Mrs. Gertel Thom
  • Financial Secretary and ex-officio member of the Legislative Assembly: Charles John
  • First Nominated Member of the Legislature Assembly (Governor's appointee): Frank Edwards

Cayman Islands

  • Governor: Michael Gore, CVO, OBE
  • Chief Secretary and ex-officio member of the Legislative Assembly: James Ryan, MBE, JP
  • Attorney General and ex-officio member of the Legislative Assembly: Richard Coles
  • Financial Secretary and ex-officio member of the Legislative Assembly: George McCarthy, OBE, JP

British Virgin Islands

  • Governor: Peter Penfold, OBE
  • Deputy Governor and Chief Secretary: Elton Georges
  • Attorney General and ex-officio member of the Legislative Council: Mrs. Dancia Penn

Bermuda

  • Governor and Commander-in-Chief: The right hon. Lord Waddington, D,L QC
  • President of the Senate: Senator Albert Jackson MBE, (Appointed by the Governor)
  • Vice President of the Senate: Senator Norma Astwood (appointed by the Governor)
  • Senator Alfred Oughton, MBE, Governor's nominated member in the Senate.

Pitcairn Islands

  • Governor: Robert Alston CMG (resides in Wellington)
  • Member of Island Council (voting): Mrs Betty Christian
  • Member of the Island Council (non-voting): Mrs Phillipa Foley

Gibralter

  • Governor and Commander-in-Chief: Field Marshall Sir, Itohn Chapple, GCB, CBE
  • Deputy Governor: A. Carter
  • Acting Attorney General and ex-officio member of the Legislative Council: P. Dean
  • Financial Secretary and ex-officio member of the Legislative Council: B. Traynor

Hong Kong

  • Governor: The Rt Hon Christopher Patten
  • Chief Secretary and ex-officio member of the Legislative Council: Mrs Anson Chan, CBE, KBE, JP
  • Financial Secretary and ex-officio member of the Legislative Council: Sir Hamish Macleod, KBE, JP
  • Attorney General and ex-officio member of the Legislative Council: J. F. Matthews, CMG, JP

Falkland Islands

  • Governor: D. E. Tatham, CMG
  • Attorney General and ex-officio member of the Legislative Council: D. Lang, CBE, QC
  • Financial Secretary and ex-officio member of the Legislative Council: D. Howatt
  • Chief Executive and ex-officio member of the Legislative Council: A Gurr.

St. Helena

  • Governor and Commander-in-Chief: A. N. Hoole, OBE
  • Chief Secretary and ex-officio member of the Legislative Council: J. G. Perrott
  • Financial Secretary and ex-officio member of the Legislative Council: R. J. Perrott
  • Attorney General and ex-officio member of the Legislative Council: D. J. Jerimiah

Ascension Island

  • Administrator: B. N. Connelly (appointed by the FCO)

Tristan da Cunha

  • Administrator: B. Dailey (appointed by the FCO)
  • Member of the Island Council: Mrs. J. Green
  • Member of the Island Council: D. Rogers
  • Member of the Island Council: S. Swain

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

  • Commissioner: D. E. Tatham CMG (appointed by FCO)
  • Asst Commissioner: C. S. Shelton (Appointed by FCO)

Mr. Mackinlay

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his most recent estimate of the population of each colony or dependent territory excluding Hong Kong, with the total population.

Mr. Baldry

The most recent estimates of the population of each colony or dependent territory, excluding Hong Kong, are as follows:

Territory Population
Anguilla 9,000
Ascension Island 1,132
Bermuda 70,000
British Antarctic Territory Nil
British Indian Ocean Territory1 3,500
British Virgin Islands 17,000
Cayman Islands 30,000
Falkland Islands 2,120
Gibraltar 29,000
Montserrat 11,000
Pitcairn Islands 54
St. Helena 5,390
Tristan da Cunha 294
Turks and Caicos Islands 14,000
Total (including Hong Kong) 6,212,490
1 No indigenous population.