Foreign Exchange Costs

HC Deb 26 February 1990 vol 168 cc71-2W

Mr. Speed

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what were the estimated foreign exchange costs, both direct and indirect, of the British forces in(a) the Federal Republic of Germany, (b) Cyprus and (c) Gibraltar for the last 12 months.

Mr. Archie Hamilton

The estimated direct foreign expenditure costs of the British forces in Cyprus and Gibraltar in 1989–90 are some £100 million and £50 million respectively. In respect of the foreign exchange costs of British Forces Germany, I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to the hon. Member for Great Grimsby (Mr. Mitchell) on 10 January 1990, at column633. No reliable estimate can be made of the foreign exchange content of sterling expenditure in connection with these forces.