§ 92. Mr. Swinglerasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Defence at what rate annual defence expenditure is now running; and what changes in the nature and cost of defence policy will result from the recent agreement to assume additional commitments in Europe.
§ Mr. H. MacmillanThe Statement on Defence 1954 stated that
the Government will continue to regard it as a defence measure of the first importance to maintain the strength and efficiency of the British Forces on the Continent assigned to the Supreme Allied Commander, Europe.Our recent agreement to maintain our present commitments in Europe will not affect the defence budget for the current year.Under the arrangements agreed at the nine-Power Conference, as under the Bonn Conventions which those arrangements superseded, the local expenditure of British Forces in Germany which is now met by the Federal Republic will, in due course, have to be met from Service Votes. As a result of understandings reached at the Conference, it is not expected that this will happen for some time to come.