suls
202
are there for Keen Southern lands rather xls should be
jers certainly nationality would discuss hon. Friend I returned a right hon. er with me
sith Chile is hy the islan- hile, or with has been one and we hope rade between
agston upon ill welcome, Minister's un- islanders will iges of their to amelior islands are diminishing ple are leav- jot go away, s to amelior- islands and the Govern- atures, or any
ns?
an initiative hether there gute. That is mic potential
ed.
(Derbyshire, ;explain why gentina pre- d Kingdom in develop-
ay of declar- he islands is ment of the difficulty of ishing or oil Governments sible in the There is also ng to invest- redit to the
203
Falkland Islands
2 DECEMBER 1980
islands because of the fear of investors that the dispute may frustrate their in-
vestment.
Vir. John Home Robertson (Berwick and East Lothian): Will the Minister tell the House more about the leasing pro- posals? Is it his idea to sell the freehold, to Argentina and to lease it back as part of the Government's attempt to reduce the public sector borrowing require-
ment?
Mr. Ridley: The details of any lease-] back arrangement would first have to bel considered by the islanders, and then it would be the subject of negotiation with the Argentine and then the subject of en dorsement by the islanders and this House. It is impossible to go into detail with any accuracy, but it is not envisaged that any money would change hands, either in the transfer or in the lease.
I
Mr. William Shelton (Streatham): congratulate my hon. Friend on taking the views of the islanders, which is right and proper. Will he confirm that should those views be for a maintenance of the status quo
he will accept that? Will he also say Whether he has contingency plans to help the islanders, despite the lack of resolu- tion of the problem?
Mr. Ridley: We shall have to wait for the answer. That is a hypothetical ques- tion, and we must consider the matter when we hear from the islanders.
Mr. David Lambie (Central Ayrshire): As one of the few Members to have visited the Falkland Islands, may I ask the Minister whether he is aware of the deeply felt suspicion of the islanders of previous British Governments and British politicians, especially those representing the Foreign Office? Is he further aware that there was no need for today's state- ment, which will further heighten those suspicions? Is this a further example of the Government reneging on previous promises that were given to those people?
Mr. Ridley: As one of the few hon. Members to have visited the Falkland Islands- I have visited them twice--I beg to differ with the hon. Gentleman. My
2 L 21
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Falkland Islands welcome was friendly, and the islanders were kind and listened to me with great attention. They were grateful for the frank discussions that we had.
Mr. Shore: The Minister was asked a few moments ago whether, if the islanders were to opt for the status quo, that would then be the Government's view on the matter and they would sustain it. He did not give a clear reply to that. the Government are to honour their com- mitment that the views and wishes of the Falkland Islands are to be paramount, which is the word which has been used hitherto, he must assure the House and the Falkland islanders that that principle of paramountcy of their wishes about their future will be sustained by the British Government,
Mr. Ridley I have said that anything that was proposed would have to be en- dorsed by the islanders. There is no need to repeat that. However, I cannot answer a hypothetical question about what might happen in certain circumstances, just as I am sure that the right hon. Gentleman would not be prepared to say that, if the islanders endorsed a solution, he could make his whole party vote for it.
Mr. Farr: On a point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker. Is it possible to give notice after a ministerial statement that one would wish to raise a matter on the Adjournment? If it is possible, I should like so to do because of the intense dis- satisfaction I feel about what the Minister said.
STATUTORY INSTRUMENTS, &c.
Ordered,
That the Elections (Welsh Forms) (No. 2) Regulations 1980 be referred to a Standing Committee on Statutory Instruments, &c.- [Mr. St. John-Stevas.]
NORTHERN IRELAND AFFAIRS
Ordered,
That the matter of the proposal to establish an Enterprise Zone in Belfast, being a matter relating exclusively to Northern Ireland, be referred to the Northern Ireland Committee for their consideration.--[Mr. St. John-Stevas.]