§ 36. Mrs. Knightasked the Lord Privy Seal if he will intercede with the Government of Zimbabwe on behalf of British citizens wishing to leave that country, so that they may be permitted to take their own furniture and belongings with them.
§ Mr. LuceLast September the Zimbabwe Government introduced regulations restricting the export by emigrants of certain household effects. When announcing these restrictions the Zimbabwe authorities stated that some emigrants had been evading the exchange controls on currency by buying large quantities of new furniture and household effects prior to emigration for subsequent sale abroad.
The new regulations permit the export of furniture and effects in reasonable quantities according to a family's basic requirements. The Zimbabwe authorities have also said that they will sympathetically consider applications for the export of antiques, family heirlooms and furniture which can be shown to have been previously imported into Zimbabwe.
It would not be appropriate for Her Majesty's Government to make formal representations to the Zimbabwe Government on the question of the exchange controls which apply to British citizens resident in that country. We have, however, expressed our concern to the Zimbabweans on several occasions, and they have assured us that they will relax the controls as soon as their circumstances permit. The Zimbabwe government inherited exchange control restrictions from the previous regime and have made some significant relaxations to them since independence.