George Foulkes: troubleshooter

Junior Minister to Visit Montserrat

• British Government Freezes Aid
• Liberal Democrats Demand Emergency Meeting

The Foreign Office has confirmed that the International Development junior minister George Foulkes will visit the volcano-hit island of Montserrat on Sunday, August 31st.

The decision that Mr Foulkes, deputy to International Development Secretary Clare Short, should fly out to Montserrat to see the situation at first hand follows weeks of heated exchanges between the island's government and London.

Mr Foulkes's visit hung in the balance after suggestions from the island's chief minister David Brandt that the British minister might not be welcome.

However, Mr Brandt has softened his line, saying: "I would welcome any minister from England to come to Montserrat, not only to see me, but to talk to the people directly so that they will hear the hurt of the people."

"Let them go around and see the kind of conditions people have been living in for two-and-a-half years," he said.

The International Development Secretary Clare Short had turned down a request to visit the island herself.

She said Mr Foulkes would have discussions with the Antiguan government and would be accompanied on the trip by senior officials from his own department and the Foreign Office.

The announcement comes on the day a new cross-departmental committee to deal with the Montserrat crisis meets for the first time.

Ms Short said that the creation of such a body was no reflection on the way she has dealt with aid to the island - a British colony - but she admitted that it could be seen that way.

Ms Short's defence was made in an article in The Times, in which she said it was time for everything to calm down. The arguments between parties and across the Atlantic, she stated, were only causing more distress and uncertainty.

Meanwhile, Downing Street has denied suggestions that the Foreign Secretary, Robin Cook, has effectively taken charge of the Montserrat crisis. A spokesman said: "There is no snub to Clare Short. Hers is one of the key departments that will co-ordinate dealing with this problem on that particular island."

In recent days, there has been controversy surrounding the issue of the evacuation of Montserrat prompted by Ms Short's criticism of senior Montserratian politicians. She accused them of seeking "golden elephants" as compensation for their plight - a remark for which she later apologised.

Cook: rumours that he has taken charge of the crisis

Mr Cook had commented on the affair because historically the Foreign Office is the senior department.

The Downing Street spokesman said that the Foreign Office was also primarily responsible for dependent territories. "It would not therefore be unreasonable for him to talk about Montserrat but he will not be talking about it exclusively. Where appropriate other ministers will talk about it," he said.

Labour MP Bernie Grant said he would fly to the island on Wednesday at Mr David Brandt's request.

Mr Grant, chairman of the all-party group on the Caribbean, said: "There is increasing desperation in Montserrat, and this has much to do with difficulties of communication, and a lack of understanding. Being from the region myself, I hope that I will be able to overcome some of these difficulties, and to report back with a more accurate account of the situation."

Mr Grant said that while he would not be representing the British Government during the trip, he had discussed it with Mr Cook, and would report back to him on his return.

Action Group's Four-Point Plan

A Downing Street spokesman said that the group would be looking at four areas:

• Resettlement of Montserratians in other parts of the Caribbean
• Assistance for those who want to come to the UK
• Infrastructure improvements in the north of the island - the so-called "safe zone"
• Assistance to places such as Antigua which are receiving displaced Montserratians

Mr Cook said: "Our assistance strategy needs to be delivered speedily and effectively but requires co-operation across Whitehall. The Whitehall committee will ensure that the Government's four-point plan is implemented without delay."