To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the cost to the United Kingdom of the administration of Ascension Island.

The governor of St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha is based on St Helena. The governor is represented on Ascension Island by an administrator. Both posts are Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) funded. The running costs in 2011-12 for the administrator and the pro rata costs of the governor were approximately £72,700. The costs of the administrator's house and office are met by the Ascension Island Government.

The Ascension Island Government are eligible to access the FCO's Strategic Programme Fund and the Overseas Territories Environmental Project Fund. The island received £78.590 from these funds last year. The administrator also receives a small annual delegated budget of around £25,000.

Ascension Island is not in receipt of any direct bilateral capital grants, subsidies or budgetary aid from the Department for International Development.