§ 15. Mr. Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow)To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his Answer of 30th October to the hon. Member for Nottingham, South (Alan Simpson), Official Report,column 311W, on Iraq, when he expects to be able to provide the total cost of the military campaign in Iraq. [138340]
§ The Chief Secretary to the Treasury (Mr. Paul Boateng)The Chancellor announced in the Budget that £3 billion has been set aside to cover the cost of operations in Iraq. It would be premature to anticipate the total cost of the military operations at this time.
§ Mr. DalyellIs it true that the commitment to the Amazon rainforest and other developing country commitments have been seriously damaged by an increasing commitment to the finances for Iraq?
§ Mr. BoatengNo, the project that we are funding will be completed, as my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Development has made clear. No announcements that we have made in relation to Iraq, and the funding of operations there, will affect the UK's firm commitment to increase aid in poor countries. That we are determined to do and are doing. I welcome the support of the Father of the House for that objective.