TNAG-0834-FCO40-1042-Foreign-and-Commonwealth-Office-seminar-on-the-future-of-Bri-1979 — Page 110

ST HELENA & DEPENDENCIES

ANNEX 7

1.

Size : St Helena

47 square miles

Ascension Tristan da Cunha

34 square miles 38 square miles

2.

Population

6,500

Executive

3. Present constitutional position: no Ministers;

Council and mainly elected Legislative Council with English local government-type committee system

Budget expenditure (1978): £2,200,000

4.

5.

UK aid

6.

budgetary

£1,400,000 (plus shipping subsidy)

total aid per capita £600 (including project)

Main activities and sources of income:

Remittances from Ascension Fishing (small)

Subsistence agriculture

Works programme

Prospects: general political apathy;

7.

no visible prospects

of escape from heavy dependence on budgetary aid; therefore seems impracticable.

independence

Ascension : a service and stageing post; no indigenous population

Tristan da Cunha only 300 prosperous crawfishermen; ships a year ex Capetown;

3

independence unrealistic.