Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 9 May 2025 to Question 49725 on Saint Helena: Public Finance, what initiatives other than the Tourism Development Fund his Department supports to improve financial self-sufficiency.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is providing £35.79 million in financial aid to St Helena for the 2025/26 fiscal year. The St Helena Government (SHG) allocates a portion of this funding to advance its policy objectives, including attracting investment and increasing revenue. The FCDO also funds the £30 million Economic Development and Investment Programme which supports economic development of St Helena through infrastructure development.  Prioritised jointly with St Helena Government, this will fund projects such as new port facilities in Rupert's Valley, which, when completed, will open the waterfront for new economic activities and opportunities. The funding also supports the St Helena Government's aim to increase the use of renewable energy to help underpin the island's future financial self-sustainability. Other FCDO programmes, including the Overseas Territories Fund, support a range of initiatives, including on climate, essential equipment and technical support which all contribute to St Helena's economic growth.