HC Deb 17 March 1981 vol 1 c191
14. Mr. Gwilym Roberts

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give the latest figures for the costs associated with maintaining British troops in Germany; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Goodhart

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. MeAlber for Newham, North-East (Mr. Leighton) on 27 January 1981.

Mr. Roberts

Will the Minister accept that, in terms of Army support, it is intolerable that a relatively poor country such as Britain should be effectively subsidising Germany, which is a very rich country? Irrespective of any mistakes in this direction which may have been made by the Labour Government, will the Minister now accept that it is time to reopen the negotiations to see whether we can receive a satisfactory payment from Germany towards this cost?

Mr. Goodhart

When the Labour Government concluded the final offset agreement in 1977, it was part of that agreement that there would be no continuing negotiations on this subject. Since then, the German trade balance has gone into deficit and ours has gone into surplus.