asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he is now willing to exclude Ocean Island from the Gilbert Islands when he introduces legislation to provide for the independence of the Gilbert Islands.

My right hon. Friend assured the House on 27th May 1977 that no final decisions about the future status of Ocean Island would be made before the pre-independence Constitutional Conference for the Gilbert Islands, and that the Banabans would be asked to this conference and would be free to put forward their views. That remains the position. No date has yet been fixed for the conference.