§ 71. Mr. Emrys Hughesasked the Minister of Defence what new North Atlantic Treaty Organisation bases he has agreed should be established in this country.
§ Mr. SandysNone.
§ 72. Mr. Emrys Hughesasked the Minister of Defence if he is aware of the public disquiet regarding overstaffing in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation and the rate of expenditure of public money by that organisation; and what steps he is taking to allay this disquiet.
§ 73. Mr. G. Brownasked the Minister of Defence whether he will make a statement on the reports he has received from the British military missions accredited to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation on the military policies and structure 68W of the Organisation; and what action he proposes to take to bring these under review.
§ Mr. SandysAny views which may be expressed to us by British members of the N.A.T.O. staff are, of course, confidential. In the headquarters of an Alliance, each of the allied countries wants, as far as possible, to make its voice heard and to keep in touch with developments at all levels and in all branches. This naturally results in bigger staffs than would be thought necessary in a purely national headquarters.
Subject to that qualification, we shall, through the appropriate N.A.T.O. machinery, do everything we can to promote efficiency and economy in the Organisation.