Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-01-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate his Department has made of the cost of Royal Navy search and rescue operations in the Mediterranean Sea in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Penny Mordaunt

The Royal Navy has supported one dedicated Search and Rescue operation in the Mediterranean Sea over the past five years, which was Op WEALD in 2015. This constituted the UK’s contribution to the international efforts in response to the migrant crisis. The additional cost of the Royal Navy support to this operation was £2.58 million, which was funded through the UK Aid Budget.