HC Deb 25 April 1985 vol 77 c978
5. Mr. Dalyell

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much has been paid out of the Contingency Fund for expenditure related to the Falklands.

Mr. Peter Rees

Since 1982–83, £13 million; all of which has been repaid.

Mr. Dalyell

Which fund pays for the catapulting escalation of the cost of the airport from £215 million to £360 million, according to The Sunday Times, or £430 million, according to the Sunday Post? What does the Treasury think about that?

Mr. Rees

The Treasury always regrets escalation of costs. The charge will be borne by the Ministry of Defence.

Mr. Stokes

Is my right hon. and learned Friend aware that honour demanded that we should repossess the Falkland Islands, and that the cost was secondary? The hon. Member for Linlithgow (Mr. Dalyell) seems quite incapable of understanding that point.

Mr. Rees

I accept my hon. Friend's proposition about honour. As Chief Secretary to the Treasury, I cannot be entirely indifferent to questions of cost, but I believe that on this occasion the money was well spent.

Mr. Willie W. Hamilton

Is the right hon. and learned Gentleman satisfied that we are getting value for money in spending hundreds of millions of pounds on 1,200 folk 8,000 miles away?

Mr. Rees

I am, and the Government's judgment on the matter has been endorsed many times by the House.

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