HC Deb 05 August 1965 vol 717 c431W
Mr. Derek Page

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will give the cost of the British Army of the Rhine in each of the last 10 years.

Mr. Healey

The current annual cost of the British Army of the Rhine is some £160 million of which about £70 million involves expenditure of German marks. I regret that it is not possible to provide information about the total cost over the last 10 years.

Mr. Derek Page

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will give the numbers of British ground forces in Germany in each of the last 10 years.

Mr. Healey

Approximate totals for all ranks in the Army in the British Army of the Rhine and Berlin on the 1st April in the years 1956 to 1965 were 80,500, 74,000, 61,500, 54,500, 54,000, 56,000, 54,000, 56,500, 55,500 and 54,000 respectively.