Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Sugg on 18 November (HL10238), how much revenue has been raised by the government of Ascension Island through taxes in each of the last five years; and what proportion of that revenue has been allocated to infrastructure improvement.

The Ascension Island Government has raised the following revenue via taxation over the last 5 years: 2015/2016: £5,105,491; 2016/2017: £4,987,011; 2017/2018: £4,870,185; 2018/2019: £4,579,244; 2019/2020: £4,750,558. These funds have primarily been used to provide essential public services on the island. The cessation of the South Atlantic Airbridge in 2017 due to damage on Wideawake Runway has reduced the Ascension Island Government's ability to raise more in tax revenue. The funding available for infrastructure works therefore has been limited. The Ascension Island Government's budget is discussed as part of on-island Council meetings with any expenditure agreed by island Councillors.