§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Secretary of State for Defence what is his most recent estimate of the annual cost of maintaining armed forces in Northern Ireland.
§ Mr. WigginIt is not possible to make a precise assessment of the total cost of maintaining armed forces in Northern Ireland since no detailed records are kept for this purpose. The extra cost of military operations in the Province in the financial year 1982–83 is estimated at £134342W million at outturn prices. As I informed the House on 23 November 1981—[Vol. 13, c. 310–11]—a more realistic method of assessing the extra cost was introduced last year.