§ Mr. LivingstoneTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence when Britain and the United States of America set up the mutual defence assistance programme; what was the scope and aim of the programme; why it was set up; when it ended; and which branches of his Department were involved in the programme. [35574]
§ Mr. SoamesThe United States and United Kingdom concluded a mutual defence assistance agreement on 27 January 1950, which provided for either Government to make available to the other equipment, materials or other military assistance designed to promote the integrated defence of the north Atlantic area and to facilitate the development of defence plans under the North Atlantic treaty. The agreement, presented to Parliament as Cmd 7894, was made as part of the US Government's action at that time to provide military aid to Europe, in accordance with the US Military Defence Assistance Act signed by President Truman on 6 October 1949. The agreement remains in force. It is not possible at this time to identify particular branches of the Ministry of Defence that may have been involved in the programme.