Member

For that reason, I suggest we look a little harder at this contract. There may be a difference between ministerial or government intent—the Government’s understanding —and the contract. They are not necessarily quite in line. It could be that the Government wish to pay the Republic of Mauritius an amount in the zone of £3.4 billion. Clearly, that is controversial: some people do not believe that there should be any payments. But let us just assume for a moment that the Government wish to pay an amount of that type. Unluckily—we made this point before, but it is important—the contract does not reflect that. It is not a contract that reflects an economic agreement of that type; it reflects a much higher level of expenditure by the UK towards Mauritius.