§ 1. Mr. Emrys Hughesasked the Minister of Defence the total sum that has been spent on the British armed forces and their equipment in Egypt since 1945.
§ The Under-Secretary of State for Air (Mr. Christopher Soames)I have been asked to reply.
Insufficient information is available to enable an assessment to be made of the total cost of maintaining British forces in Egypt since 1945. In 1954, when the forces were at a high level following the disturbances in the Canal Zone, the annual cost was estimated at about £55 million.
§ Mr. HughesIs it beyond the capacities of the electrical calculating machine at the Ministry of Defence to find out how much money has really been spent in Egypt? If that calculator cannot give the answer, can the hon. Gentleman tell me what the British taxpayer has got for this expenditure?
§ Mr. SoamesIt is only in the last two or three years that the Services have in fact kept records and made detailed estimates on a per capita basis of every formation.