TNAG-0926-FCO40-1144-Future-of-the-Dependent-Territories-1980 — Page 26

11 December 1980

C

Mr Michael Brown (Brigg and Scunthorpe ): To ask the Lord Privy Seal, what consultations he has had with the administrations of the following territories during which the local political leaders were invited to consider the possibility of à change of sovereignty or encouraged to assume full independence: Belize Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Falkland Islands and dependencies, Gibraltar, Hong Kong, the Pitcairn Islands, St Helena and Ascension, Antigua, Tristan da Cunha, the Cayman Islands, Montserrat, St Kitts, Anguilla, and the Turks and Caicos Islands.

No 126W

MR NICHOLAS RIDLEY

Her Majesty's Government's policy with regard to independenc for the remaining territories for which it has responsibility is to respect the wishes of the local inhabitants as expressed through their elected leaders. Discussions have recently taken place with local administrations in the following instances:

Belize

I have had several meetings on this subject during the past year with the Premier of Belize and with representatives of the Belizean opposition. A Constitutional Conference will be called in the near future with the intention of bringing Belize to early independence.

/Falkland Islands