§ 49. Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Defence what is his latest cost estimate of the Falklands war.
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§ Mr. BlakerOn the basis of information up to 4 July, my provisional estimate is that the broad order of cost of the campaign and of replacing equipment lost or consumed is about £570 million in 1982–83 and something over £200 million in each of the two succeeding financial years, with continuing but smaller sums thereafter. A more precise estimate of the costs and their phasing must await further analysis and decisions on how and when equipment is to be replaced.
§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Defence how many Service men and Merchant Navy personnel were (a) injured, (b) seriously injured and (c) very seriously injured in the Falkland Islands campaign.
§ Mr. Blaker777 members of the South Atlantic task force suffered non-fatal injuries in the campaign to repossess the Falkland Islands. Of these, 15 Service personnel and one Merchant seaman were listed as very seriously ill, and 43 Service personnel listed as seriously ill. The degree of illness stated above indicate the extent to which patients were in danger rather than the nature of injuries received.
§ Mr. Michael McNair-Wilsonasked the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to be able to announce what quantities of arms, aircraft and other military equipment were captured from the Argentine military forces on the Falkland Islands; and what will happen to the equipment.
§ Mr. BlakerI refer my hon. Friend to the replies I gave to my hon. Friends the Members for Preston, North (Mr. Atkins), for Havant and Waterloo (Mr. Lloyd) and for Plymouth, Sutton (Mr. Clark) on 21 June, 5 July and 6 July respectively.—[Vol. 26, c.22; Vol. 27, c. 41 and c. 86.]
§ Mr. McNamaraasked the Secretary of State for Defence what was the maximum number of ships and submarines at any one time assigned to the Falklands and South Atlantic campaign; and what is the number at present assigned.
§ Mr. Blaker[pursuant to his reply, 13 July 1982, c. 342]: The maximum number of warships operating in the South Atlantic at any one time was 26, on 27 May. This does not include the three hydrographic ships which were acting as hospital ships, warships which had been operating in the Task Force but were then on their way back to the United Kingdom, the four warships lost in the Falklands operation, or the five trawlers which have been commissioned into the Royal Navy for the duration of the operation. For operational reasons I would not wish to discuss the number which are at present assigned to the South Atlantic. Similarly, it is not our practice to discuss submarine deployments.