§ 101. Sir C. Osborneasked the Minister of Defence how much, in addition to the £25 million defence orders from Germany already announced, he has subsequently obtained; in view of the fact that the United States Government has received defence orders of $600 million already, what steps he is taking to increase Great Britain's share of the total West German defence orders; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. ThorneycroftThe £23½ million gun and ammunition order announced during my recent visit to Bonn falls within the scope of the Anglo-German Agreement announced in the House in March. Under this agreement, the Federal Republic have undertaken to spend about £54 million in relief of the United Kingdom balance of payments in each of the two years up to 30th March, 1963 and 1964. The total value of orders so far placed is about £40 million.