OT 303: Letter to Rt Hon Douglas Alexander MP, Secretary of State for International Development, from the Chairman of the Committee

 

St Helena Airport

 

At its meeting on 4 February the Foreign Affairs Committee discussed the recent decision by DfID to pause the negotiations over the St. Helena airport contract. We would be grateful if you would provide us with some further information regarding this decision:

 

· What were the reasons for the decision to pause negotiations?

· What is the expected length of the pause?

· What contact is taking place between DfID and the selected contractors for the project about restarting negotiations given that we understand that the contractors have indicated their intention to withdraw from negotiations at the end of February if no progress is made?

· What assessment has the Government made of the relative costs of the airport in relation to the long-term cost of maintaining links by sea to the island? The Committee would be grateful to see any such assessment.

· What assessment has the Government made of the potential contribution that tourism could make to the economy were an airport to be constructed and the long-term impact this would have on the island's dependency on UK aid?

 

Given the urgency of this matter we would be grateful for a swift response to this letter. I am copying this letter to the Rt Hon Malcolm Bruce MP, Chairman of the House of Commons International Development Committee.

 

 

5 February 2009