TNAG-0835-FCO40-1043-Foreign-and-Commonwealth-Office-seminar-on-the-future-of-Bri-1979 — Page 20

ST HELENA & DEPENDENCIES

ANNEX 7

1.

Size : St Helena

Ascension

47 square miles 34 square miles

Tristan da Cunha

38 square miles

Population

6,500

ல் ம்

Present constitutional position: no Ministers;

Executive

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

Budget expenditure (1978): £2,200,000

$5. UK aid

6.

:7.

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

independence

Prospects: general political apathy; no visible prospects of escape from heavy dependence on budgetary aid; therefore seems impracticable.

Ascension: a service and stageing post; no indigenous population

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

3