§ Sir Alec Douglas-Home,pursuant to his speech in the debate this day, supplied the following information:
Cash gifts to residents of Southern Rhodesia
1. United Kingdom residents wishing to send small cash gifts to relatives in Southern Rhodesia will now on application be permitted to 243W do so up to a limit of £75 for any one donor in any two-year period. Within this same overall limit gifts to non-relatives will also be permitted but only if humanitarian reasons can be shown. The amounts authorised by the exchange control authorities will be counted against the normal allowance of £300 per annum, applicable to cash gifts made by United Kingdom residents to persons residing in the non-sterling area.
Allowances for elderly Southern Rhodesian residents and those with hardship qualifications
2. Residents of Southern Rhodesia over 65 years of age may now on application transfer funds from accounts restricted in this country at the rate of £30 per month for a single person, £45 for a married couple and £12 for each dependent child. The rent allowance will be £15 per month or at a higher rent if actual rent is higher. Persons under 65 years of age will only be allowed to make transfers if it can be demonstrated that specific hardship factors exist, but the new ceilings will apply. These changes have been made on humanitarian grounds because the existing level of allowances has proved inadequate to meet genuine hardship, and to enable persons above the normal retirement age to enjoy the concession without having to show that specific hardship exists.
Travel allowances for certain visitors to Southern Rhodesia
3. Foreign currency facilities will now be permitted on application to the following categories of travellers who wish to visit Southern Rhodesia:
- (a) Persons over the age of 65 years visiting members of their own families who reside in Southern Rhodesia will be allowed foreign exchange facilities up to £10 per day for a maximum of £300 per person in any one year;
- (b) Persons under 65 years of age visiting members of their own families who are over 65 years will be given the same rates as those stated in (a) above if they can show that an element of illness exists, the visitors have not seen their relatives for some time and they cannot be supported by their families in Southern Rhodesia whilst they are in that country; and
- (c) Any person who has an urgent compassionate reason may be allowed up to £75 per visit with a maximum of £300 in any one year. This concession will not apply where an allowance is to be given under (a) or (b) above.
Allowance for Southern Rhodesian Residents visiting the United Kingdom
4. Rhodesian residents visiting the United Kingdom will now be allowed on application to draw up to £20 per week per person from their funds restricted in this country in suspense accounts. There has been no increase in the allowance since 1966.
Funds transferred for Educational Purposes
5. To bring United Kingdom controls into line with Security Council resolutions, it has been decided to allow Southern Rhodesian 244W residents on application to make transfers for generally recognised educational purposes from accounts blocked in the United Kingdom, to any other country, subject only to any general rules which apply to transfer to the country concerned.
Transfer made to wives and dependent children in Southern Rhodesia
6. For humanitarian reasons United Kingdom residents, having dependent wives, former wives and dependent children resident in Southern Rhodesia will be permitted on application to make transfers from the United Kingdom at the rate of up to £30 per month, £12 for each dependent child and £15 for rent purposes or more if the actual rent is higher. The applicants will not be required to prove specific hardship unless they wish to transfer sums in excess of these scales when applications will be considered on their merits.
Transfer to Southern Rhodesia by charitable, religious, medical and educational organisations
7. Where charitable, religious, medical and educational organisations wish to transfer money for current expenditure in excess of the 1965 level, in order to continue their humanitarian works in Southern Rhodesia, applications will be considered on their merits. Remittances authorised will be in sterling to Rhodesian account.
Life Assurance Polices
8. Proceeds from life assurance policies related to retirement, taken out by Southern Rhodesian residents before 11th November, 1965, will in future be treated by the exchange control authorities as though they were pensions. Beneficiaries will be permitted on application to transfer the proceeds, including lump sums, to Southern Rhodesia, provided it can be shown that the maturity date of the policies was within five years (either side) of retirement from normal occupation. Provision has also been made for widows and dependent relatives (under 19 years of age) of deceased beneficiaries, and persons whose policies have matured any time since 11th November, 1965. to enjoy these concessions also.