Finance
British currency is used but the Gibraltar Government issues its own 1 and £5 notes. From 1 January 1973 Gibraltar was at its own request re-included in the Scheduled Territories for the purposes of the Exchange Control Act 1947.
The main banks are the Algemene Bank (Gibraltar), Barclays Bank International, Banque de l'Indochine, Galliano's Bank and the Government Post Office Savings Bank.
The main sources of local revenue are income tax, customs duties, rates (a form of local property tax), licences and excise duties, court fees, rents from government property, posts and telegraphs and the government lottery. Revenue amounted to £18.4 million in 1976–77 and expenditure to £17.8 million.
Social Services
Education
Education is compulsory and free in government schools for children between 5 and 15 years of age. Instruction is in English and syllabuses are broadly similar to those in Britain, with modifications to meet local conditions. Government expenditure on education in 1976-77 was some £1,445,500.
On 1 January 1969 the British Ministry of Defence took over responsibility for the primary education of the children of British servicemen in Gibraltar. In December 1977, 3,707 pupils were enrolled in 12 government, one private and two Services primary schools. There are two govern- ment comprehensive secondary schools and a technical college; 1,686 pupils were enrolled for secondary or full- time vocational courses. A new purpose-built comprehen- sive school for girls is being constructed and is designed to replace an existing group of buildings; it is being financed by British aid.
There are no other facilities for further education, though some evening classes are provided for adults. Students go to Britain for teacher training and for university and other advanced studies. About 25 to 30 students a year get scholarships or grants from the British Government for such training or study:
Health Services
Medical and health services administered by the Gibraltar Government consist of hospital services (comprising one general hospital, a psychiatric unit and an infectious diseases hospital), specialist out-patient medical treatment, child welfare and child health services, as well as domiciliary and out-patient treatment under the district medical services. A third hospital, administered by the Ministry of Defence, serves British service personnel. Infant mortality—
an indicator of the standard of public health and medical provision-averages about 15 per 1,000 live bir a low figure even for a European city. Expenditure on dedical and health services during 1976–77 was some £1,785,000.
Housing
a
Gibraltar government expenditure on housing in 1976-77 was about £469,000. An average of 100 new dwellings year have been built for the Gibraltar Government since 1945. This programme is expected to continue at the same rate. The Government encourages home-ownership and has plans to launch a house purchase scheme during 1979-80.
Social Security
There is a contributory Employment Injuries Insurance Scheme, providing industrial injury, disablement and death benefits, and a contributory Social Insurance Scheme, which provides a range of benefits including retirement pensions, unemployment benefit, maternity benefit, widows' benefits, death grants and guardians' allowances. Non- contributory benefits include family allowances and supplementary benefits.
Press and Broadcasting
Five newspapers are published; one appears daily in English and four (some with sections in Spanish) are weekly. The Gibraltar Broadcasting Corporation is responsible for radio and television broadcasting with Thomson Television International as managing agents. Radio broadcasting in English and Spanish (16 hours daily) includes both live and locally recorded programmes, as well as relays and trans- cripts from the British Broadcasting Corporation. The colour television service is in English and operates for a minimum of 4 hours a day.
Short Reading List
BRADFORD, ERNLE. Gibraltar: History of a Fortress.
ISBN 0 246 64039 1.
Hart-Davis GARCIA, JOE (ed.). Gibraltar Yearbook 1979.
Mediterranean Sun Publishing Co. HILLS, GEORGE. Rock of Contention: A History of
Gibraltar. ISBN o 7091 4352 4.
Robert Hale
£
1971
2.50
1979
1.50
1974
6.50
A Yearbook of the Commonwealth. ISBN 0 11 580212
6*.
HMSO
1978
12.00
Prepared by
REFERENCE DIVISION
CENTRAL OFFICE OF INFORMATION
LONDON
PRINTED IN ENGLAND FOR HER MAJESTY'S STATIONERY OFFICE BY Brown Knight & Truscott Ltd., Tonbridge.
Dd. 8034072 Pro. 12925/5/79 5000