§ Mr. FoulkesTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to deal with the Cuban refugees currently remaining on the Cayman Islands; what discussions he has with the Governments of the United States and Cuba to try to prevent further exodus of Cubans to the Cayman Islands; and if he will make a statement. [22426]
§ Mr. BaldryI refer the hon. Member to the statement issued on 2 May by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The decision to repatriate any future Cuban migrants who fail the refugee screening process in the Cayman Islands was taken with the full agreement of the Cuban Government. The United States Government have now announced a similar policy.
§ Mr. FoulkesTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his estimate of the cost of the United Kingdom police sent to the Cayman Islands to help deal with the Cuban refugees; how this is to he met; and if he will make a statement. [22427]
§ Mr. BaldryThe cost of deploying United Kingdom police to the Cayman Islands, including transport, is estimated to be £375,000. It will be met in full by the Cayman Islands Government.
§ Mr. FoulkesTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the total cost of the Cuban refugees on the Cayman Islands including any repatriation and the costs of keeping those who are housed at Guantanamo; how he plans such costs should be met; what discussions he has had with the Government of the United States about their responsibilities for the costs involved; and if he will make a statement. [22425]
§ Mr. BaldryThe total cost to date is approximately £2.7 million, the majority of which has been met by the Cayman Islands Government. We have spent £175,000 in providing material and technical assistance. We are also pursuing the possibility of EU funding for the continuing cost to the Cayman Islands Government.
The US Government agreed in December 1994 to offer up to 900 places in their safe haven at Guantanamo bay for Cuban migrants who volunteer to transfer from the Caymans. A total of 723 have so far done so. The Cayman Islands Government agreed to meet the cost of 329W transferring and supporting these migrants in Guantanamo bay. Subsistence costs in Guantanamo are US$10 per person per day, but no invoice has yet been raised by the Americans. The Guantanamo costs are therefore not included in the above total.