Norman Baker MP Member of Parliament for Lewes constituency
|Home
Contact Norman at:
Norman Baker,
23 East Street,
Lewes,
East Sussex,
BN7 2LJ.
Tel: (01273) 480281.
Fax: (01273) 480287.
Email: info
This website has been partly paid for from the funds made available to every MP to assist them in communicating with and representing their constituents.
Printed and hosted by Pipex Communications UK Ltd, Humber Buildings, Humber Rd, Beeston, Notts, NG9 2ET. Published and promoted by Norman Baker MP, House of Commons, Westminster, London SW1A 1AA. The views expressed are those of Norman Baker, not of the service provider.
Local MP Reveals Iraq War Cost
Lewes MP Norman Baker has today revealed that the amount of money that the UK is spending each year on maintaining its military presence inside Iraq could have paid for the building of 9 new hospitals or the training of 150 new doctors. With the Government yet to decide when British troops will eventually leave Iraq, the current cost of keeping them there – which stands at some £1.5 billion per year - could leave the British taxpayer with a final bill of up to £6 billion – the equivalent to providing some 36 new hospitals or 600 new doctors.
These figures follow recent research by the Lib Dems which show that the Government’s current expenditure, at £1.5 billion per year - is set to increase by an additional £65 million, at a time when the NHS authorities in East Sussex and across the country continue to suffer from a crippling lack of funding.
Lib Dem research shows that the £1.5 Billion would pay for:
- Training 4,195 nurses to fill existing vacancies
- Building 9 new hospitals
- Providing 25 new cancer scanners
- Training 150 new doctors
Speaking on the subject, Norman comments:
“When the Labour government decided to go to war alongside the USA it committed the UK taxpayer to a massive bill. Unlike the previous conflict in the Gulf in 1991, when friendly Arab countries repaid 80% of the costs, the outcome of this conflict will be paid for 100% by the UK taxpayer.
“As taxpayers we are being lumped with an astronomical bill with no definite end to the present commitment in sight. This further government spending increase of £65 million will simply increase the pressure to reduce their other big spending commitments such as much-needed investment in the NHS.
“It is appalling to think that this continuing commitment in Iraq not only comes at a high human cost overseas but also at home where we are continuing to be denied the extra doctors, nurses, equipment and new hospitals which are so badly needed.”