§ 41. Mr. E. Fletcherasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what arrangements have now been made with the West German Government with regard to the cost of maintaining the British forces in Germany.
§ Mr. Ormsby-GoreI would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Scotstoun (Sir J. Hutchison) yesterday.
§ Mr. FletcherDoes not the Minister agree that this arrangement represents a considerable capitulation by Her Majesty's Government on the terms for which we were asking the West German Government? Will he say whether any assurances have been given to the German Government about the minimum number of troops which we shall keep in Germany over the next few years?
§ Mr. Ormsby-GoreThe second part of the hon. Member's supplementary question is very fully answered in the statement which was circulated in the OFFICIAL REPORT yesterday. If he looks at the German Press, the hon. Member will see that German public opinion thinks that the German Government have given away far too much to the United Kingdom Government.