HL Deb 10 October 2003 vol 653 c85WA
Lord Lester of Herne Hill

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Bach on 15 September ( WA 155), when they will be able to inform Parliament of the public expenditure that has been, and is likely to be, incurred in relation to the first year of the occupation of Iraq, including the cost of securing Iraq, policing it, and stabilising a new government in Iraq. [HL4617]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Bach)

The departmental resource accounts for financial year 2002–03 should be published at the end of October. They will include the costs incurred during that year on operations in Iraq. I plan, at the same time, to provide whatever further cost information I can.