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contingency plans for any post-indepen- dence regional federations where this is desired.
Mr. Luard: It is not possible to stipu- late dates for the independence of the remaining British dependent territories, apart from Tuvalu which will become independent on 1st October 1978, be- cause the majority have not indicated a wish to move towards independence. It is our policy to assist the independence of our dependent territories in accordance with the wishes of the inhabitants but not to force independence on those which for reasons of their own do not seek it.
British Subjects Overseas (Murders)
Mr. Newens asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what arrangements exist to help the relatives and friends of British sub- jects who are murdered in foreign coun- tries with which the United Kingdom has normal diplomatic relations, in cases where the murdered person died while engaged in a normal professional pursuit, if the relatives believe there to have been a miscarriage of justice and wish to pur- sue the matter further; and if he is satis-
fied with their effectiveness in the light of the case of Miss Ann Chapman who was killed in Athens in 1971.
Mr. Judd : British consular officers abroad and consular department of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office pro- vide general assistance and advice to the relatives and friends of any British national who dies outside this country whatever the circumstances. Diplomatic Service officers are not, however, qualified to give legal advice. Anyone requiring to become involved in legal processes following a death may obtain from the consulate a list of the names and addresses of local English-speaking lawyers.
In the case of Miss Chapman I refer my hon. Friend to the replies I gave him and my hon. Friend the Member for Bir- mingham, Handsworth (Mr. Lee) on 31st July.
Chile
Mr. Geoffrey Finsberg asked the Secre- tary of State for Foreign and Common- wealth Affairs in the light of the recent amnesties in Chile, if he will now take
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steps to appoint an ambassador to that country.
Mr. Rowlands: My right hon. Friend has no intention of appointing an ambas- sador and would not consider doing so unless there had been real and tangible evidence of an improvement in the human rights situation in Chile.
Public Funds (Economies)
Mr. Onslow asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what economies in the use of public funds have been achieved by his Department within the past three years; and what sums have been saved as a result.
my
Mr. Tomlinson: The final outturn for 1974-75 in respect of public expenditure -PESC-programmes for which right hon. Friend's Department has re- sponsibility was £272-5 million at 1978 prices. The latest estimated outturn for the same programmes for 1977-78, also at 1978 prices, is £250-3 million, a re- duction of £22-2 million.
The main areas of expenditure in which economies have been achieved were those
involving expenditure on staff and the diplomatic estate overseas. In the 1974- 75 estimates, provision was made for 10,528 United Kingdom based staff. In the 1977-78 estimates, the corresponding number was 10,172 a reduction of 356. Over the same period the number of locally engaged staff provided for fell by 332.
In 1974-75 expenditure on the diplo- matic estate overseas totalled £35.5 mil- lion at 1978 prices against expenditure of £24-6 million in 1977-78, a saving of £10.9 million.
European Treaties
Mr. Spearing asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will list in the Official Report and the appropriate official pub- lication all the amendments made to the Treaty of Rome since 1st January 1973 and estimate when any updated version will be published by the EEC and Her Majesty's Government;
(2) if he will list in the Official Report and the appropriate official publication all the amendments made to the Treaties