§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the total spending by the Government in providing aid, assistance and investment in the Falkland Islands in each of the past 10 years for which figures are available.
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydGross public expenditure on aid to the Falkland Islands since 1983–84 is as follows. Information on expenditure in 1992–93 is not yet available.
£ thousand 1983–84 7,469 1984–85 8,394 1985–86 10,198 1986–87 11,021 1987–88 6,735 1988–89 3,389 1989–90 2,487 1990–91 1,430 1991–92 1,286 Total 52,409 Additional assistance was provided by the diplomatic wing as follows:
Assistance Under-Secretary's Programme Budget £ thousand 1989–90 2 1990–91 10 1991–92 11
Foreign and Commonwealth Office scholarship awards scheme £'000 1990–91 10 1991–92 3 1992–93 12 Further investment in the Falkland Islands has come from the presence of the British forces garrison since the end of the war in 1982. The construction of living accommodation and the new airfield at Mount Pleasant have resulted in some capital expenditure in the local economy. Similarly, the presence of the garrison has resulted in personal expenditure by service men in the local economy, and the new airfield has allowed the expansion of tourism. These benefits are difficult to quantify. Detailed information on Ministry of Defence expenditure on defence of the Falkland Islands can be found in the statements on the defence estimates for the years in question. Much of this expenditure would have been incurred in the United Kingdom.