The Government began running up a research bill as far back as 1994, according to a series of written Parliamentary answers released by the Ministry of Defence.

The date is eight years before the US Government made a formal request to use RAF Fylingdales as part of George W. Bush's "Son of Star Wars" project.

The initial expenditure of £4.8 million between 1994/5 and 1996/7 went on a "pre-feasibility" study. This examined the options, costs and timescales of a missile defence programme for the UK.

In 1997/98 - when Labour dismissed the Conservative government with a landslide General Election victory - not a penny was spent.

But the next year Labour picked up the baton, ploughing £2.2 million into the Technology Readiness and Risk Assessment Programme (TRRAP).

A further £10.3 million was spent on TRRAP over the next three years.

It investigated the threat posed to Britain by ballistic missiles and what could be done to cut the risk.

This was backed by a £2.4 million two-year study on the longer-range threat posed by missiles, £1.2 million expenditure on "capability gap work" and a separate £2.5 million five-year probe into how ballistic missile defence would work.

A further £3 million was spent into a study, building on TRRAP, of how missile defence would work in theatre, including £1 million this year.

On top of this, an extra £3 million is being spent this year on up-to-date research carried out through the Missile Defence Centre.

This gives a total bill of £30.3 million.

The extent of the work carried out on missile defence will surprise residents living near Fylingdales.

They grew frustrated as Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon delayed giving an answer to the question about whether he would allow the base to be used until the eleventh hour.

Mr Hoon spent more than 18 months refusing to comment, stating he had received "no request" from the US.

Last December, he signed a "memorandum of understanding" with President Bush's Government, but the document added little detail to an announcement last summer, which promised the pact would give British firms "fair opportunities" to take part in the programme.

It also guaranteed an exchange of information between Britain and the US, along with a management structure to oversee the project.

Mr Hoon has insisted Britain is not committed to the "acquisition or deployment" of missile defence, with permission restricted to the upgrade of computer software at Fylingdales.