Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to assist the government of St Helena to improve its economy.
The UK Government continues to provide funding for a range of activities that assists St Helena Government improve the local economy. UK Government's funding makes up over 70% of St Helena's budget and therefore has a significant impact on the economy and local revenues generated. The UK Government is also funding infrastructure projects in St Helena under an Economic Development Investment Programme (EDIP) to support the island's economic development and improve opportunities for the local private sector. Current projects include the development of a container port at Rupert's Bay. This year, the UK Government provided an additional funding to St Helena's budget Government to protect the economy from the impacts of COVID 19.