HC Deb 16 December 1968 vol 775 cc297-8W
Mr. Brooks

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will indicate, for each of the years 1950 to 1968, the annual cost of stationing British forces in Germany, expressed in constant prices, the actual number of such forces, and the planned total of such forces as provided for in formal agreements.

Mr. Healey

I regret that information on stationing costs is not available in the form requested, as the practice in recording it has changed over the years. Up to 1954 all our foreign exchange costs in Germany were met in full. Figures of net costs after that date were given in the OFFICIAL REPORT as follows:

Up to 1960: 9th June, 1964.

From 1961 to 1966–67: 23rd February 1967.

Estimates for the following two financial years were given to the House on 11th April, 1967 and 1st April, 1968 respectively.

Total strength figures including B.A.O.R. and Berlin, and the Royal Air Force are shown below:

Strength as at 20th June to nearest thousand
1950 54,000
1951 74,000
1952 94,000
1953 95,000
1954 102,000
1955 108,000
1956 106,000
1957 96,000
1958 76.000
1959 67,000
1960 66,000
1961 67,000
1962 65,000
1963 64,000
1964 63,000
1965 63,000
1966 62,000
1967 62,000
1968 64,000
There is no planned total of British forces in Germany provided for under formal agreements except that contained in the terms of Article VI of Protocol II of the Revised Brussels Treaty which involves only a commitment of certain formations.—[Vol. 696, c. 47–8; Vol. 741, c. 338–9; Vol. 744, c. 981; Vol. 762, c. 32–3.]