§ Dr. TongeTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many Montserratians who temporarily took refuge in the UK following the volcanic eruption in Montserrat have returned home; and if she will make a statement on(a) conditions in Montserrat and (b) the aid which is provided there. [127895]
§ Mr. FoulkesSince May 1996, about 3,000 Montserratians have come to the United Kingdom because of the volcanic activity on the island. In May 1999, DFID introduced a Return Air Fare Scheme to provide assistance to those people who, having relocated to the UK or the Caribbean region, wished to return to Montserrat and had suitable accommodation on island. During the first year, 109 applications were received from people living in the UK and, as at the 31 May 2000, 83 people had returned to Montserrat.
Statistics are not held by Her Majesty's Government or the Government of Montserrat on the number of people returning without assistance from the Return Air Fare Scheme.
§ Dr. TongeTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions she has had with the Government of Montserrat concerning funding for the Reporter news-sheet. [127896]
§ Mr. FoulkesNone. Officials have discussed the matter with their counterparts on island, and the Chief Minister. The Montserrat Reporter received start up capital from HMG and for several years since has received budgetary aid from DFID, paid through the Chief Minister's Office in exchange for publishing Government news. The Government of Montserrat have recently concluded in a Public Service Inquiry that these payments did not represent value for money. DFID officials have now decided to withdraw the support, which was never intended as a permanent arrangement.