To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give figures in constant prices for grant in aid for St. Helena for the last 10 years for which figures are available; and what factors underlie the trends in these figures. [7072]

The figures are:

£ thousand
	Cash prices	1995–96 prices
1987–881	2,300	3,378
1988–89	3,542	4,876
1989–90	3,904	5,023
1990–91	3,477	4,142
1991–92	3,414	3,839
1992–93	3,479	3,748
1993–94	3,495	3,659
1994–95	3,225	3,314
1995–96	3,560	3,560
1Earlier figures are not available on a consistent basis.

UK grant in aid to St. Helena finances the difference between government budgetary recurrent expenditure and locally generated revenue. This varies between years due to a wide range of factors which can affect either the expenditure or the revenue side of the budget. It is a long-term aim to maximise the proportion of budgetary expenditure which is locally financed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to what extent nationality was a factor in appointing a chief education officer in St. Helena. [7073]

In July 1995 the St. Helena Government requested recruitment of a technical co-operation officer to fill the vacant post of chief education officer, in the absence of any sufficiently qualified St. Helenians who were available to take up the post. The recruitment process is under way. As for all other ODA-recruited posts, applicants are required to he either nationals of the European Economic Area or Commonwealth citizens who have an established right of abode and right to work in the United Kingdom.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the total cost of the budgetary aid mission to St. Helena to negotiate grant in aid support. [7074]

The cost is expected to he approximately £17,000.