§ Mr. Hamiltonasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs the total sum payable by the West German Treasury over the last two years for occupation costs; what balance has accrued from the unexpended portions of that sum; and how is that balance to be used.
§ Mr. TurtonSince April, 1952, the German Federal Government have made funds available to the three Powers in Germany as occupation costs at a monthly average maximum rate of DM600 million, or approximately £600 million a year. The share of this total made available to the British Zone for the British forces and other forces located 257W in the zone has been fully taken up and either spent or committed to meet specific payments in future.
The German Federal Government has undertaken that funds made available and committed to meet the cost of orders placed in one period would remain available to meet bills falling due as those orders were completed in a subsequent period. The latest accurate figure available on account of the British Zone is DM 992 million at the 30th of June, 1954. I have no information as to the amounts available on account of the United States and French Zones.
These funds can only be used to pay bills presented for goods and services already ordered or supplied, or capital works for which firm requirements have been placed.