§ Alan SimpsonTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what costs the Government has(a) incurred since and (b) made provision for in relation to Iraq, broken down by Government department. [135767]
§ Mr. BoatengIn his 2003 Budget statement, the Chancellor confirmed that £3 billion has been set aside in a special reserve available to the Ministry of Defence, for the costs of the military campaign in Iraq,
so that our troops continue to be properly equipped and given the resources that they deserve and have a right to expect." [9 April 2003, Official Report, column 271.]It is too early to provide total costs of the military campaign in Iraq. However, up to the point military operations began, Ministry of Defence estimate costs at around £700 million.
At the Donors' Conference on Iraq, in Madrid on 24 October, the UK made a total financial commitment towards Iraq's reconstruction of £544 million for the three years from April 2003, including funding we have provided so far and our share of proposed European Community spending in Iraq.
£248 million is for humanitarian and reconstruction assistance already committed by DFID and other Government Departments, £9 million of which is our share of the EC commitment, and £296 million will be for the period up to March 2006, £29 million of which is our share of currently proposed EC spending.