§ Mr. David AtkinsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the(a) budget and (b) UK contribution to the budget for the International Criminal Court (i) is for the current year and (ii) will be for each of the next five years; and if he will make a statement. [150219]
§ Mr. RammellThe total International Criminal Court (ICC) budget for the calendar year 2004 is approximately £39.5 million. The UK is expected to contribute some 11 per cent. of this sum i.e. approximately £4.3 million.
The ICC budgets for the next five years have yet to be set. The Court has not yet reached its full establishment and its caseload also remains an unknown budgetary factor.
The United Kingdom nevertheless remains committed to maintaining the strictest possible budgetary control and ensuring the ICC makes the most effective use of the funds at its disposal.
The United Nations' scales of assessments, on which the UK contribution is based, are recalculated every two years and follow the general principle of capacity to pay. We would not expect great fluctuation in this rate.