§ Sir Bernard Braineasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many Ministers of the Crown have visited St. Helena since May 1979; and when.
§ Mr. WhitneyNone.
§ Sir Bernard Braineasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will ensure that the combined budgeting aid review and development aid review of St. Helena in July-August considers the feasibility of reducing the colony's dependence upon the United Kingdom Treasury by requiring all the users of its dependency, Ascension Island, to pay a reasonable rent for the facilities they currently enjoy without payment.
§ Mr. WhitneyAscension Island is not part of St. Helena and is a dependency of St. Helena for administrative purposes only. The two islands have a number of links particularly in the field of labour but are separate legal entities. Accordingly, it would be inappropriate to consider financial measures on the lines suggested.
§ Sir Bernard Braineasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will initiate discussions regarding the possible employment of St. Helenian workers in connection with the construction of the new strategic airfield in the Falkland Islands and its subsequent maintenance and on other development projects in that territory.
§ Mr. WhitneyIt is for the consortium building the new airfield to identify and recruit suitable labour for the project. Immigration is a matter for the Falkland Islands Government. I understand that, if persons with the required skills apply from St. Helena, the Falkland Islands Government will consider their applications carefully.
§ Sir Bernard Braineasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment has been made of the effects upon St. Helena's economy and the well-being of the St. Helenian workers on Ascension Island who are essential to the maintenance of communications between the United Kingdom and the Falklands, of the proposed withdrawal from service of my Aragonite; and if he will reconsider this proposal.
§ Mr. WhitneyThe RMS 'St. Helena' purchased with aid funds to meet the transport requirements of St. Helena will return to normal service in October. I am satisfied that there will then no longer be justification for keeping the temporary replacement vessel Aragonite in service since this would lead to an unacceptable increase in the already substantial shipping subsidy.