§ Mr. BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the total annual amount spent by his Department in respect of the Falkland Islands in the last year for which figures are available. [130417]
§ Mr. SpellarThe outturn cost to the Ministry of Defence for the Falkland Islands Garrison in financial year 1999–2000 was £71.1 million.
This figure relates to the costs incurred by the Commander British Forces Falkland Islands only. It does not include the costs of the RAF airbridge to the Falkland Islands, nor the cost of naval deployments to the South Atlantic. These costs fall to other budgets and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.