§ Lord Hyltonasked Her Majesty's Government:
What was the total cost to public funds, including expenditure on policing and security, of the recent Defence Systems and Equipment International (DSEI); and what benefits they estimate to have accrued to the British economy. [HL4625]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Bach)The direct cost to the Ministry of Defence identified centrally has been estimated at some £400,000. The final cost remains to be established.
The Metropolitan Police estimate a total of £1.48 million in additional pay and other costs associated with policing the event. British Transport Police estimate their cost of policing the event as £250,000. As above, the final cost remains to be established.
The benefits to the UK economy were evidenced by the presence of a large number of UK exhibitors, who were able to take advantage of the increased opportunities to show and discuss their equipment, and to allow those with current sales campaigns under way to progress their interest. Benefit will also have arisen from the attendance of more than 20.000 visitors, including official defence delegations, travelling to, or staying in, the capital.