§ Q6. Mr. Biggs-Davisonasked the Prime Minister what assurances he has recently given the Australian Prime Minister on the stationing of British forces east of Suez.
§ The Prime MinisterI have assured Mr. Holt that it is our intention that there should be full consultations, and opportunity for us to consider Australian views, before any new decisions are reached on our future defence arrangements in the Far East.
§ Mr. Biggs-DavisonAt this delicate time in Anglo-Australian relations, will the Prime Minister give earnest consideration to the desirability of assuring his Australian colleague that British forces will remain east of Suez until they can be adequately replaced by Asian and Australasian Powers?
§ The Prime MinisterI am, of course, in close touch with the Australian Prime Minister and I hope to have a chance of discussing these matters further with him when he visits Britain next month. Beyond that, I do not think that it would be helpful for me to say anything this afternoon.
§ Mr. John LeeWill my right hon. Friend represent to the Australian Prime Minister that if he wants British troops east of Suez he should pay the market price for them? [Interruption.]
§ The Prime MinisterWe do not decide the deployment of our troops on a market price basis. We shall decide the proper disposition of our forces in relation to Britain's defence needs, our relations with our allies and, of course, in relation to what this country can afford. But we do not go into these negotiations on the basis of British troops being mercenaries.
§ Mr. HoggWill not the right hon. Gentleman also remember, and take into account, what the Australians and New Zealanders have done for us twice in our lifetime?
§ The Prime MinisterYes, Sir. That was the theme of the speech made by my right hon. Friend the then Foreign Secretary in Canberra last year and, of course, the theme of the commitment which he entered into in that respect.
§ Mr. RankinIs it not the case that we have just reached agreement with France on a swing wing aircraft which has a purely European rôle? Does not that indicate that we stand by our attitude of reducing our commitments east of Suez?
§ The Prime MinisterIt has been our attitude, as shown in the White Papers of 1966 and 1967, to continue to review our deployment, commitments and weapon expenditure in the interests of the best defence policy for this country. I do not think that my hon. Friend should deduce too much from developments in relation to the Anglo-French swing wing aircraft.