§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what has been the cost to date of official visits to provide guidance to the Falkland Islands Government as to how they might develop educational and medical centres.
§ Mr. RaisonThe estimated cost since late 1982 to date is £22,500.
§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what is the cost of his 477W proposal to expand the grassland trial unit, now known as the Falkland Islands agricultural research and development centre;
(2) how much Her Majesty's Government spend and intend to spend on identifying research, and developing and refining methods for the greater production of wool by developing new sheep farming systems in the Falklands;
(3) what decision has been made on the proposal to expand the Falkland Islands agricultural research and development centre.
§ Mr. Raison£2.5 million has been allocated for the expansion and operation of the Falkland Islands agricultural research and development centre (FIARDC), formerly the grasslands trials unit, over the next five years. The primary objective of the FIARDC is to identify and develop methods aimed at an increased production of wool through improved nutrition, animal health, husbandry and management.
§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what loans have now been proposed to encourage small-scale development projects or agricultural improvements in the Falklands.
§ Mr. RaisonA loan has been approved for equipment for the bakery in Stanley, and proposals are under consideration for the establishment of a dairy.
§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what amount of loan he has now been paid for the wool mill at Fox Bay East in the Falklands.
§ Mr. Raison£59,236 of the loan has been drawn down to date.
§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what assessment is made of the visit to the Falklands by a forestry consultant; and what study is being made of his report;
(2) what consideration Her Majesty's Government have given to the report of the foresty consultant who visited the Falkland Islands in September 1983.
§ Mr. RaisonThe Falkland Islands Government are considering the report by the forestry consultant.
§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the estimated cost for 1984–85 of the expatriate officers in the Falklands.
§ Mr. RaisonIn 1983–84 the cost of expatriate officers serving with the Falkland Islands Government was just over £1 million. It is estimated that the cost for 1984–85 will be broadly comparable.
§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his latest estimate of the cost of plans to improve telecommunications in the Falklands; and if he will make a statement on the consultant's report on this matter.
§ Mr. RaisonThe consultant's report has only just been received and has yet to be considered by the Falkland Islands Government.
§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what action is being taken to improve water and power supplies in the Falklands; and at what cost;
478W(2) what consideration he is giving to the reports of feasibility studies on future long-term power and water requirements in the Falklands.
§ Mr. RaisonConsultants have reported on the long-term power and water requirements in Stanley. A project to improve power supplies, including additional generating capacity and an improved distribution system., is being undertaken at an estimated cost of £2.9 million. The report on water supplies is still under consideration and the likely cost of implementation is not yet known.
§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the amount spent so far of the £31 million made available over six years for longer-term economic development of the Falklands.
§ Mr. RaisonCumulative expenditure at the end of June was £2.3 million.
§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what is the cost to Her Majesty's Government of timber prefabricated houses from Sweden, erected in the Falkland Islands;
(2) what is now the completion cost of Brewster houses in Port Stanley; and how much in excess of the tender this is.
§ Mr. RaisonAn estimate of the project completion cost cannot be given at this stage because hard rock is delaying the provision of site services (water, sewerage and electricity) to the second main batch of houses at Callaghan road.
§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs at what total cost to date Her Majesty's Government have provided fuel, plant, tools, building materials, and equipment to the Falkland Islands Government Public Works Department.
§ Mr. RaisonThe cost of providing these items was £2.132 million.
§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the cost of the feasibility study on an improved harbour complex in the Falklands, including a new deep water jetty.
§ Mr. RaisonThe final cost is not yet known as the study is still in progress. Expenditure to date is £14,229.
§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what conclusions he has reached on the report he received from the agricultural mission, under the auspices of the Overseas Development Administration, which visited the Falklands in December 1983, to evaluate the results of farming land subdivided before April 1982.
§ Mr. RaisonThe Falkland Islands agricultural research and development centre will take account of the needs of section holders in its work programme. The farm management adviser, currently under recruitment, will assist section holders in the preparation of farm investment plans and farm management. The Falkland Islands Development Corporation will be prepared to make available loans and grants for farm improvement schemes.
§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on 479W the advice and expertise provided by his Department to agricultural research units making a contribution to the improvement of agriculture in the Falkland Islands.
§ Mr. RaisonODA finances two posts at the Rothamstead experimental station and ODA natural resources advisers maintain contact with other agricultural research units.
§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what action has been taken as a result of the report of the visiting consultant who considered the conservation and ecology needs of the Falkland Islands in December 1983;
(2) what action Her Majesty's Government have taken in relation to each area of ecology referred to in the terms of reference of the ecologist sent to the Falklands.
§ Mr. RaisonThe report is still under consideration by the Falkland Islands Government.
§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects a decision to be reached on the final report from consultants recommending the establishment of a pilot plant for salmon ranching in the Falklands.
§ Mr. RaisonThe Falkland Islands Government in principle favour the establishment of a pilot salmon ranching project and the Falkland Islands Development Corporation is considering how best to take this forward.