§ 41. Mr. Rankinasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much has been paid by the West German Government for currency compensation to Great Britain for keeping her Armed Forces in West Germany since 1961; and whether the new agreement will involve a further increase in the payment by the Bonn Government.
§ Mr. Anthony RoyleThe value of the offset provisions since 1961 is£581 million. Under the new agreement, we shall be receiving cash payments totalling about£62.5 million over the next five years in addition to civil and military purchases to be made by the Federal Government on the lines of earlier agreements.
§ Mr. RankinWill the hon. Gentleman assure us that the increase in the payments made by the German Government will match the increasing cost of living and the increasing cost of money?
§ Mr. RoyleIt is true that we have never since the occupation régime ended in 1955 asked the Federal Government to pay us the entire budgetary costs of maintaining our troops in Germany. That would be a manifestly unfair and unrealistic demand.