§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many indigenous people have left the Falkland Islands in the last eight months.
§ Mr. OnslowA total of 22 Falkland Islanders left the Islands between 14 June 1982 and 31 January 1983 and said that they were leaving permanently.
§ Mr. David Youngasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has as to how many Falkland Islanders wish to own their own land; and what is Her Majesty's Government's present policy towards such requests.
§ Mr. OnslowFalkland Islanders working in the agricultural sector have been sent a questionnaire asking them whether and where they would like to buy land on the Islands. The exercise, which is part of a wider assessment of whether the demand for land exceeds the amount being offered for sale on the open market, has yet to be completed. The deadline for replies is the end of February. I dealt with the Government's policy on land transfer at length during the debate on the Shackleton report on 22 December. No further consideration can be given to the transfer of land ownership until all the information referred to above has been received and assessed.—[Vol. 34, c. 981.]
§ Mr. Eldon Griffithsasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the £31 million of development aid he announced for the Falkland Islands includes the million donated for the Falkland Islands by the States of Jersey; and how he proposes that this gift to the British Government from Jersey should be utilised.
§ Mr. OnslowI refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Newham, South (Mr. Spearing) on 17 February.—[Vol. 37, c.238–9.]
§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, in the light of the importance of matters relating to land tenure for the future of the Falkland Islanders, he will answer parliamentary questions on those matters, whether or not they fall within the devolved remit of colonial legislation.
§ Mr. OnslowI shall write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.
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§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it policy not to propose expenditure of more than £300 million on an airport in the Falklands.
§ Mr. BlakerI have been asked to reply.
We shall spend what is needed to defend the Islands, support the garrison and reinforce it quickly if necessary.