§ 29. Sir W. DAVISONasked the Prime Minister what is the total sum (British currency value) which has been paid by Germany to this country since the Treaty of Versailles; and what is the total cost incurred by this country to date in respect of the Army of Occupation on the Rhine?
§ Sir R. HORNEThe total amount debited to this country in respect of receipts from Germany available for the cost of occupation from 11th November, 1918, to 30th April, 1922, is 956,662,000 gold marks. This is equivalent to £50,351,000 at the present rate of 19 gold marks to £1 sterling, but owing to the varying rates of exchange at which receipts have been brought to account, 33 and to the fact that certain cessions of property have not been brought into the Exchequer account at all as money payments, it is not possible to give an exact British currency figure. In addition, about 600,000,000 paper marks have been received locally by the Army.
The total cost of the Army of Occupation during the same period is approximately£54,000,000. The valuation of certain deliveries is, however, still provisional, and the only statement which can safely be made is that the debit in respect of receipts to date is nearly equal to the cost of the Army of Occupation to date.
§ Sir W. DAVISONIn general terms, are we to understand that we have received, on balance, nothing from Germany since the Armistice?
§ Sir R. HORNEThe answer is that the Army of Occupation has cost us practically what we have received.