§ Mr. Bryant Godman Irvineasked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the outcome of his negotiations with representatives of the Banaban community.
§ Mrs. HartSubject to the approval of Parliament, Her Majesty's Government have undertaken to pay to the Banabans anex gratia special payment of £80,000 in consideration of the effects of phosphate mining upon Ocean Island since 1900. This sum is designed as a once for all payment into a fund to be used for special purposes; and my right hon. Friend the Minister of Overseas Development has agreed to provide additional technical assistance to the Government of Fiji to help the Banaban community by advising on problems affecting their resettlement in their new homeland on Rabi Island. Her Majesty's Government have undertaken that, at any future discussions affecting Ocean Island, they will give sympathetic consideration to the views of the Banaban representatives. A fuller statement of the outcome of the discussion is contained in an Agreed Minute drafted jointly by the Banaban representatives and my Department, of which copies are available in the Library of the House.