§ Mr. Denzil Daviesasked the Secretary of State for Defence whether the sum of £500 million mentioned by him on 29 June, Official Report, c. 743, as being the cost of the Falklands war up to 4 June includes the cost of replacing equipment lost up to that date.
§ Mr. NottThe figure of £500 million is a preliminary estimate of both the equipment and the operational running costs in the current financial year of the Falkland islands campaign. It includes an amount for replacing lost equipment, although a proportion of the total equipment replacement costs arising from the campaign will fall in 1983–84 and subsequent years.
§ Mr. Denzil Daviesasked the Secretary of State for Defence what is his estimate of the cost in the current financial year of replacing equipment lost in the Falklands war.
§ Mr. NottAs I told the House on 29 June—[Vol. 26, c. 743]—the costs of the operation up to 4 June are estimated to be about £500 million this financial year. Under £100 million of this is for replacing equipment, including stores and stocks of weapons and ammunition, lost or consumed to that date.
§ Mr. Denzil Daviesasked the Secretary of State for Defence what is his estimate of the cost during the current financial year of maintaining forces in and around the Falkland Islands and the dependencies from the time when the Argentinian forces surrendered.
§ Mr. NottIt is too early to say what the cost will be. It depends upon the threat and the forces which are required to meet it.
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§ Mr. Alan Clarkasked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list, by nationality, role and rank, the identity of any persons detained or made prisoners on the Falkland Islands during, or at the cessation of hostilities, other than Argentinian nationals.
§ Mr. BlakerWe have had no reports from the task force of any non-Argentine nationals amongst those persons who were detained or made prisoner on the Falkland Islands.
§ Mr. Ian Lloydasked the Secretary of Sate for Defence whether he will arrange for an urgent analysis to be undertaken of the arms and equipment captured during the Falkland Islands campaign, indicating the country of original manufacture, commercial origin and last country in the route of supply, wherever such information can be identified, and place this in the Library.
§ Mr. BlakerOur forces are still in the process of recovering, inspecting and cataloguing arms and equipment captured during the Falkland Islands campaign. This is a major task and it will he some time before it is completed. It may not prove possible to establish or release some of the details requested, but we shall publish appropriate information in due course.