Between 2000 and the end of October this year, the government paid out a total of €105,287,276 for expropriated land.

The greatest payment was for 2005, with €14,719,788. For 2000 the government paid €12,315,078, 2001 €9,207,934, 2002 €5,255,756, 2003 €5,371,085, 2004 €12,051,722.

For 2006 the outlay was €6,398,260, 2007 €11,935,402, 2008 €5,841,521, 2009 €10,677,128 and 2010 (up to the end of October) €11,513,602.

The information was given in Parliament by Finance Minister Tonio Fenech in reply to a question by Labour MP Chris Agius. The original question had asked the number and identity of people who had benefited from such payments since 1960, and the amount paid in each case.

Mr Fenech said this would have entailed a list of details of all contracts in the last 50 years. It would take several months of work by a sizeable group of people. He pointed out that all concluded contracts were public and could be examined by anybody with an interest in the matter.

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