To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost has been to date of operating the Northwood HQ in support of Operation Atalanta; and how much of that cost has been paid by (a) the UK, (b) the Athena mechanism and (c) other means. (312653)

The local running costs of the EU Operational Headquarters at Northwood, from which Op Atalanta is led, cannot be identified separately within the overall running costs of the Northwood Headquarters. These costs are met by the UK and are not recoverable from the EU.

The common funded budget for Op Atalanta in 2009-10, which is paid through the Athena mechanism, currently amounts to €17.64 million. The UK's share of these common costs is currently €1.3 million, approximately £1.15 million at today's rate.

Details of payments towards Op Atalanta by other means are not known to the UK.