HL Deb 05 July 1979 vol 401 cc634-44WA

Following are the " Recommendations and the Action " referred to by Lord Trefgarne in the Official Report of 4th July, col. 367:

Recommendation Action
9. FIG should increase certain import duties. Done.
10. FIG should consider appointing a firm of UK stamp dealers to replace the Crown Agents. Considered. Retain Crown Agents with improved marketing.
11. FIG should increase licence fees for wildlife exports. Implemented.
12. FIG should increase Stanley rates, and review subsidies on other services. Implemented.
13. FIG should consider introducing a compulsory health insurance scheme. Implemented.
14. Appointment of a Chief Executive. Not implemented.
15. Appointment of a Development Officer, to be responsible for day to day economic development. Implemented.
16. Exco and Legco Committees: FIG should appoint officials to service Committees. Rejected as impracticable without more officials.
17. Exco and Legco Committees: Non Exco/ Legco members to be co-opted. Implemented.
18. Exco and Legco Committees: Sub-committees to be established dealing with specific aspects of broader subjects. Implemented.
19. Exco and Legco Committees to be given financial authority to allocate from specific funds. FIG consider not practical.
20. Consideration be given to the establishment of Community Councils responsible for expressing local views and forwarding proposals from smaller committees. Rejected by FIG.
21. Consideration to be given to providing sheltered houses/old people's homes. Held over until funds available.
22. Review of medical charges. Done.
23. Consideration to be given to the construction of a patients' hostel. Held over until funds available.
24. Stanley Hospital: standards will require uprating. Implemented.
25. A Health visitor/district nurse should be appointed primarily for Camp duties. Nursing sister appointed.
ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL AND RESOURCES MANAGEMENT
26. FIG should establish an Environmental and Resource Management Committee with a permanent scientific adviser. FIG consider present legislation adequate. FIG have encouraged the formation by Sir Peter Scott and others of a conservation foundation, which has a scientific research purpose.
27. FIG should enact a national resource and environmental control ordinance.
28. Consideration to be given to the establishment of a Falkland Islands Scientific Research Agency.
29. Centralisation of secondary education in Stanley with the construction of a new boarding house and additional facilities. Underway.
Recommendation Action
30. Camp teaching should be improved by the replacement of VSO teachers with certificates; more full-time teaching in settlements; and the phasing out of teaching visits to outside Shepherds. Underway.
31. Overseas secondary scholarships should be phased out when the new secondary school is built in Stanley. Underway.
32. Vocational training should be introduced in both secondary schools and for youths and adults outside the educational system. Underway.
33. The Education Department should have clerical assistance. Implemented.
34. FIG should control, through a Community Education officer, adult education, recreation, and development including the fostering of community councils. FIG to establish a social development fund to finance this. FIG at present developing an expanded school education programme. A day-release scheme is already in operation.
35. A permanent social worker should be appointed. Rejected.
36. Consideration of simplification of Camp Wage agreement structure. Both sides of industry consider present agreement satisfactory.
37. Revision of FIG salary scales. Implemented.
38. Revision of the cost of living index for Stanley and the Camp. Implemented.
39. FIG to consider financial and staffing problems of the General Employees Union. Done.
40. FIG to consider establishing a formal forum for the Civil Servants' Association. Implemented.
41. FIG collate statistics on population, emigration, immigration, jobs and opportunities in the islands. Implemented.
SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE
42. FIG to transfer housing loans scheme to commercial banking organisation. In absence of any interest by overseas banks, the facilities of the Savings bank are being extended with considerable increased money available for housing.
43. Camp workers to be given opportunity for house purchase in Camp. Professional associations and Union to take initiative. Under discussion with private sector.
44. FIG to review further housing requirements. Allocation of £160,000 from Colony funds.
45. FIG should ensure certain minimum fuel holdings in Stanely. Implemented.
46. The YPF Agreement should be implemented as soon as possible. Partial implementation as of May 1977.
47. Oil Jetty. A single buoy floating system should be examined. Examined but rejected.
48.The reintroduction of a local newspaper should be encouraged. Implemented.
MANPOWER AND POPULATION
49. Review problem of Islander " brain drain " caused by OSAS staffing of FIG. Carried out.
Recommendation Action
50. HMG offer OSAS terms to qualified Islanders living in the UK. Rejected.
51. FIG and professional associations to improve company recruitment and induction procedures by preparing briefing material about the Islands, and seeking professional advice about recruiting methods. Under discussion with private sector.
INVESTMENT AND BANKING
52. FIG should offer investment incentives in the form of loans for particular projects. An assistance fund should be established to provide the financial help. FIG loan fund for small enterprises and young farmers established.
53. FIG to approach a UK bank to provide commercial and merchant banking services in the Islands. Considering adaption of local facilities.
54. In absence of commercial bank, FIG to establish Revolving Loan Fund. As for (52).
55. A commercial bank may absorb the Government Savings Bank. Otherwise the Government Savings Bank should be reorganised on a more commercial basis. In absence of any interest of overseas banks, facilities of Savings Bank are gradually being extended.
56. HMG to consider relaxing exchange control regulations governing direct UK investment. June 1979 Budget removed UK exchange control regulations on overseas sterling investments up to £5 million.
TERTIARY SECTOR SERVICES
57. FIG to encourage wholesale and retail trade; suggest purchases locally and from South America. Done.
58. Consideration to expanding coastal shipping service by introducing small, faster passenger/ freight craft. Implemented—Communications Study 1978.
59. Roads—
(a) Stanley—road Underway
(b) Camp—appointment of a road engineer to investigate technical and economic considerations of low cost road construction. FIG to evaluate these and if costs are acceptable proceed with initial road from Stanley/Darwin. Construction crew should be a mix of imported and Falklands labour. Assistance from the Royal Engineers may be sought. Implemented—road now under construction.
INTERNAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND BROADCASTING
60. Agrees with FIG policy of replacement of the RT system to provide 24 hour communications. Still under discussion in Falklands.
61. Improvement should be made in quality and content of local broadcasting. Agree FIG decision to hire transmitter from Cable and Wireless. ODA Loan of £8,000 given for improvement and BBC adviser recently visited and reported.
62. Feasibility study should be undertaken on the introduction of TV in the Camp using video cassettes. British Council adviser visited Falklands in October 1978 but recommended against.
Recommendation Action
TRANSPORT
63. HMG to finance extension of permanent airfield by 950 metres to accommodate short/ medium haul jets and partially loaded long haul jets. Subsequent discussions with South American Governments and airlines over establishment of direct flights. ODA willing to offer feasibility study at appropriate time. Preliminary findings of desk study carried out as result of FI Council resolution shows that there is no economic justification at present.
64. FIG to ensure that FICo take account of Islander interests in decisions affecting sea freight service. FIG have sought to establish closer personal relationship with FICo.
65. Internal air service. Initial air service pricing structure review to lower FIG subsidy. Technical and economic advice required over aircraft replacement policy. Implemented.
66. Consideration to establishment of knitwear industry. Flourishing small knitwear co-operative established.
TOURISM
67. Tourism development study to be commissioned. Limited study being carried out.
68. Appointment of commercial tourism promoters to follow-up recommendations of development study. Pending growth in tourism, FIG approved in general terms.
69. Consideration of concessionary finance for accommodation and travel facilities.
70. Tourist facilities in Stanley.
72. FIG draft Legislation to control tourism developments and standards.
72. Ecological monitoring. FIG to monitor ecological impacts of tourist development.
73. Fisheries management and conservation. HMG to promote establishment of Convention for control of South West Atlantic fishery. Discussed in Anglo/Argentine negotiations.
MINERAL OIL RESOURCES
74. Enactment of a new mining (mineral oil) ordinance to inter alia vest all mineral rights in the Crown. Under consideration.
75. In advance of any political settlement an interim programme should be initiated to include:
(a) appraisal of Birmingham University's processed seismic data (a) and (b) overtaken by US seismic surveys.
(b) purchase and evaluate some commercial seismic lines in the Argentine section from the Malvinas basin
(c) HMG to monitor oil developments in Argentina. (c) Underway.
INDUSTRY AND CRAFTS
76. FIG to encourage small scale projects (sheepskin pickling, skin preserving, weaving). Member TPI visited Falklands in October 1977 to demonstrate process for tanning of hides and skins. Cheese making expert to visit shortly.
Recommendation Action
77. Subject to GTU findings, feasibility study on meat collection and freezing to be commissioned. Awaiting GTU Findings.
78. FIG to commission survey by Shell fish resources, with assistance from UK research organisations. FICo have undertaken pilot Shell Fish project.
79. FIG invite ODA MAFF and White Fish Authority to conduct exploratory fishing survey of coastal and offshore fish resources. Depending on results a pilot development and commercial exploitation may follow. Desk study by WFA commissioned.
80. Fish farming: Pilot scheme in parallel with pilot development of coastal and offshore fishery. Report by ODA fisheries Adviser on visit to Islands in final preparation.
81. Monitor krill and fish resources south of the Antarctic convergence, by participating in other countries and international organisations research projects in the South West Atlantic. Extend present UK marine biological programmes on krill resources, management, and detection by fishery vessels. BAS are working on this.
82. In event of commercial exploitation of seals, evaluation of population and growth rate. Has not yet happened.
83. South Georgia legislation on live specimens to be extended to the Falklands. Scale of licence fees to be reviewed and revenue used for ecological research. Implemented.
84. FIG and professional associations to standardise methods of recording financial data; need for a professional accountancy business; regular seminars on farm business. Under discussion with private sector.
85. Appointment of a Horticultural Adviser to conduct feasibility study on crops, production methods and marketing. FIG carried out survey and rejected recommendation.
86. Establishment of a Sheep importation advisory panel composed of representatives of FIG and the industry to advise on breeding selection of stud sheep in relation to market trends for wool. Under discussion with private sector.
87. Agricultural education and training to be included in school syllabus. Larger farms to appoint one employee as part-time training officer. Implemented.
88. Appointment of a wool marketing adviser under UKTA. Adviser appointed under Commonwealth Foundation Technical Co-operation.
AQUATIC RESOURCES
89. Periodic survey financed by UKTA of Falklands fresh water and anadromous fish resources. FIG to consider establishment of Salmon fishery. Underway (see 80).
90. FIG to consider study of kelp resource, including scope for processing on the Falklands. FIG to appoint research officer to study kelp ecology. Approaches made by FIG to commercial companies.

House adjourned at eleven minutes past nine o'clock.