St. Helena

Bob Russell
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much was paid in subsidy from the public purse in respect of St. Helena in each of the last 10 financial years; and what estimate he has made of the subsidy to be paid in each of the next five years.

Mr. Michael Foster
I have been asked to reply.

Support to St. Helena from the Department for International Development over the last ten years is set out in the following table:

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|         |DFID support (£ million)|
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|1998-99  |8.8                     |
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|1999-2000|9.4                     |
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|2000-01  |10.1                    |
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|2001-02  |10.1                    |
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|2002-03  |9.6                     |
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|2003-04  |10.5                    |
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|2004-05  |14.5                    |
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|2005-06  |13.6                    |
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|2006-07  |15.7                    |
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|2007-08  |17.6                    |
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DFID support over the next five years, including 2008-09, is expected to be between £20 million and £25 million per annum. This does not include capital expenditure on future access arrangements following the outcome of the consultation announced on 16 March.