§ 23. Lieut.-Colonel Liptonasked the Secretary of State for War what proportions of the cost of the Commonwealth Division in Korea are borne by the British and Commonwealth Governments, respectively.
§ Mr. HeadEach Government bears the whole cost of paying its own troops, equipping them to war scales and transporting them to and from Korea. The cost of maintaining the force in Korea is shared among the participating Governments on the basis of the strength of the various contingents. The United Kingdom Government's total share of maintenance expenditure to date has been about 80 per cent. of the whole.
§ Lieut.-Colonel LiptonDoes the right hon. Gentleman think that that is a really fair proportion of the cost which ought to be borne by this country? Is he malting any attempt to secure more equitable distribution of the cost of the Commonwealth Division between the various Commonwealth countries concerned?
§ Mr. HeadThis is not only a fair share but a precise share. Over the whole period it has averaged 80 per cent. since the war in Korea began. Since the increase in Canadian Forces our share has gone down to 55 per cent.