Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of current and projected price increases in St Helena on (1) its employment levels, (2) the disposable income of its residents, and (3) living standards.

The St Helena Government regularly publishes statistical information including detail from their latest household expenditure survey. The statistics show (1) the number claiming unemployment benefit over the last 2 years has varied on a monthly basis from a low of 5 in October 2017, to a high of 21 in July 2017, the current number of claimants is 19, (2) real average annual incomes have increased by 3.4% since 2012/13 and (3); household expenditures increased by 16% over the last 8 years.