§ Sir John Biggs-Davisonasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a comparison of the subventions provided by the United Kingdom as a whole to its various regions, including Northern Ireland, showing, in the latter case, security expenditure separately.
§ Mr. MacGregorIt is only possible to identify the subvention from the United Kingdom in the case of Northern Ireland, which has a separate Consolidated Fund. Details of that subvention for 1985–86 were given in the House of Lords by my noble friend Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Lord Lyell on 30 June at column 742. It includes expenditure of £43.7 million by the Northern Ireland Office, mainly on security. There is also the extra cost of the Army's task which, as shown in that reply, is £135 million.