§ 76. Mr. Wilkesasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what is the present strength of the Transjordan Arab Legion, the annual cost of maintaining this force, and the proportion of this 66W annual cost which is borne by the British taxpayer; and how many British officers are attached to this force and how many are acting in an advisory capacity through the British Military Mission at present operating in Transjordan.
§ Mr. MayhewThe Arab Legion is a military force of the King of Transjordan and, although Article 8 of the Annex to the 1946 Treaty between Great Britain and Transjordan provides that the strength of the force will be agreed annually by the High Contracting parties, it would not be proper for His Majesty's Government to make public information on the subject. The current annual cost of this force borne by the British taxpayer is approximately million. This covers the cost of those units of the Arab Legion at present serving in Palestine, and also the financial assistance which His Majesty's Government have, under the same Treaty, undertaken to afford the Transjordan Government in meeting the cost of the military units of the Transjordan forces. There are forty British officers attached to the Arab Legion, all of whom are serving in an executive capacity. There is no British military mission in Transjordan.