§ 53. Commander O. LOCKER-LAMPSONasked the Prime Minister how many British troops remain in occupied German territory; what the yearly cost of upkeep amounts to; whether Germany is in arrear 2488 in her payments towards the cost of the occupation: and, if so, to what extent she is a defaulter?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe total strength on 1st June, including the Rhine naval flotilla of 15 officers and 70 other ranks, was 477 officers and 8,221 other ranks. The annual cost of this strength would be aproximately £1,602,000 exclusive of accommodation and miscellaneous services provided free by Germany. The answer to the last two parts of the question is that up to 31st December, 1922, the costs of occupation, as determined by inter-Allied agreement (so far as not met from paper marks supplied locally by the German Government), were fully met out of deliveries in kind, which include, in the case of Great Britain, Reparation Recovery Act receipts. There is as yet no inter-Allied agreement, covering the position since that date, but Great Britain is still receiving from the operation of the German Reparation (Recovery) Act more than sufficient to cover costs of the British Army of Occupation.