§ 3.43 p.m.
§ THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS (LORD BESWICK)My Lords, with the permission of the House, I should like to reply to the Question put by the noble Earl, Lord St. Aldwyn, in the form of a Statement, using the words of my right honourable friend the Minister of State for Commonwealth Affairs. They were as follows:
"Honourable Members will recall that my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs, in a statement on January 24, described the consultations which Her Majesty's Government held with the Malta Government between August, 1966, and January of this year on reductions in our forces in Malta.
"On January 27 we received from the Malta Government an aide- 774 memoire stating that the Malta Government considered the British Government to be in fundamental breach of the Defence Agreement, and that in consequence the Malta Government regarded the British Government as having forfeited all the rights, privileges and facilities to which they were entitled under that Agreement. The Malta Government therefore called upon the British Government forthwith to take the necessary steps to cease making use of those rights, privileges and facilities.
"The Defence Agreement has a term of ten years and cannot in the absence of a fundamental breach by either party lawfully be terminated before that time except by mutual agreement. Her Majesty's Government cannot accept that they are in breach of the Agreement. On the contrary, Her Majesty's Government consider that any action by the Malta Government purporting to terminate the Defence Agreement would be a breach by the Malta Government of their international obligations and the resulting position would be a very serious one. Her Majesty's Government are entirely satisfied that the proposed rundown of British forces would not put at risk Britain's ability to honour her obligations for the defence of Malta or alter her determination to do so. Her Majesty's Government also consider that they have fully discharged their obligations under the Defence Agreement to consult the Malta Government.
"The Prime Minister of Malta made a statement in the Maltese House of Representatives on January 27 setting out in more detail the Malta Government's reasons for claiming that the British Government is in fundamental breach of the Defence Agreement. After making this statement the Prime Minister moved the First Reading of a Bill to amend the 1966 Visiting Forces Act. I have not yet received details of the form this amendment would take.
"Our High Commissioner in Valletta has reported that demonstrations have taken place there during the past few days. There have been no reports of any violence.
775 "Her Majesty's Government are urgently considering the situation created by the Malta Government's aide-memoire and the action contemplated by the Malta Government in amending the Visiting Forces Act. Meanwhile, I must emphasise that Her Majesty's Government regard the Defence Agreement as being still in force and the status of the British Forces and civilians in Malta unchanged. They earnestly hope, however, that the present difference of view will not lead to the Malta Government taking any irrevocable action in relation to the Defence Agreement, which Her Majesty's Government still believe to be mutually advantageous."
§ 3.47 p.m.
§ LORD CARRINGTONMy Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Beswick, for having repeated this Statement, but I hope he will realise that we on this side of the House are becoming increasingly concerned about what is happening in Malta. The position seems to me to be deteriorating, and deteriorating very rapidly. I have no idea whether or not we are in breach of the Defence Agreement; in fact, Her Majesty's Government are probably technically right. But the important thing is that the actions taken by Her Majesty's Government have led the Maltese people to take this action and to make these statements.
Many of us on this side of the House are worried about the situation, for this reason. We in this country employed most of the labour force in Malta for the purposes of our Services in the defence of the Mediterranean over many years. Many of us lived in Malta for a long time, and many of us have a great many friends in Malta. We are at the moment increasingly worried that we are going to be accused—and, indeed, it may be the fact—of letting the Maltese people down. I would earnestly ask the noble Lord, Lord Beswick, whether Her Majesty's Government will take steps now to enter into negotiations again with the Maltese Government to see whether these difficulties can be overcome, and whether there is a way in which the Maltese Government can be reassured that the steps that Her Majesty's Government are taking in the defence field will not mean economic ruin to that country.
§ LORD BESWICKMy Lords, may I say at once that I appreciate what the noble Lord has said about the concern that is felt among many people in this country who have a very special feeling of friendship towards Malta? When one recalls the past association between the two countries, and especially the circumstances in which the George Cross was awarded to the Island of Malta, a measure of emotion in these matters is understandable. At the same time, I hope that we shall be reasonable about this.
The fact that the Malta Government feel strongly about this is not necessarily an indication that we are wrong. They point out that there are going to be serious economic consequences from the proposed run-down. But the fact is that within two years from now we shall still be spending some £10 million in Malta on defence facilities—that is, £10 million as compared with £12 million at the present time—and by 1970, when the run, down is completed, the amount of British, money going into Malta on military expenditure and in economic aid will still be the same; namely, £10 million. So I feel that one ought to take into account that there is some right on the British side as well as on the Maltese side.
So far as the noble Lord's request about consultations in order to assure the Malta Government that we are still able to fulfil the commitments we have under the Defence Agreement is concerned, we have offered to send out to Malta a high-ranking Service officer for the purpose of consulting further with the Malta Government on the implications of the charge that we cannot fulfil our military commitment.
§ 3.51 p.m.
§ LORD OGMOREMy Lords, I should just like to ask the noble Lord two questions. Was there any actual or implied agreement in the Defence Agreement that we should station a certain number of the defence personnel in Malta? Because it may be true that we think we can defend Malta, but from their point of view, obviously, it is not nearly so good if we defend them from a long-distance base, by people stationed in this country instead of by people stationed in Malta. That is the first question. The second question is this: Are the Government proposing to meet and to consult 777 with the delegation that is at present over here from Malta?
§ LORD BESWICKMy Lords, as to the first point, there is nothing at all in the Defence Agreement which requires a specified level of forces to be stationed in Malta. On the second point, I do not think that officially we are aware that there is a delegation in this country.
§ LORD BROCKWAYMy Lords, may I ask my noble friend whether, irrespective of the intensity of feeling there is now, the Government will recognise the very intimate association between the people of Malta and the people of this country? Also, will the Government in particular take note of the fact that this protest by the Government of Malta is remarkable, because, despite the controversies there have been in that Island between the Labour Opposition and the Government and between the Church and the Labour Opposition, there is unanimous agreement among Government, Opposition Parties, trade unions and the Chamber of Commerce on this issue? Moreover, will the noble Lord particularly take note of the suggestion I make, that in view of Britain's financial difficulties this is a responsibility not only of Britain but of America, of free France and of the whole of the West, whom Malta served so decisively during the last war?
§ LORD BESWICKMy Lords, I am afraid I can only repeat what I said to my noble friend last week. There are various pressures in tnis matter, and, not least, pressure has been applied to Her Majesty's Government from Members on all sides of this House, including particularly my noble friend Lord Brockway, to reduce our defence expenditure; and if there is to be a reduction of defence expenditure, all theatres must be expected to make a contribution. The reduction which it is proposed to make in Malta was arrived at after very careful consideration; and after representations had been made, through me, by the Maltese Government last August, a very significant adjustment was made in the proposed rundown, the effect of which will be to postpone for some two years the greater part of our reduction.
§ BARONESS EMMET OF AMBERLEYMy Lords, can the noble Lord, Lord Beswick, give me a more precise answer to 778 the question I put to him last week as to what the net saving will be to our Government in respect of transferring the military from Malta and finding houses in which to rehouse them at home?
§ LORD BESWICKMy Lords, I have re-read the answer I gave to the noble Baroness, but I am afraid I cannot improve upon it. The figure I gave is the figure for the reduction of our expenditure in Malta. It is not possible to give a precise figure of the net expenditure which will be saved as a result of bringing back troops from Malta to this country.
§ BARONESS EMMET OF AMBERLEYMy Lords, may I put the question another way? Can the noble Lord say what the expenditure will have to be here at home to rehouse the families concerned?
§ LORD BESWICKMy Lords, the answer is that if the expenditure were related only to the troops which were brought home from Malta, as compared with troops coming home from Malaysia and from other theatres, I could give a precise estimate; but as it is not possible to isolate an element in this way, I am afraid I cannot, certainly at this point, give any exact figure.
§ LORD CARRINGTONMy Lords, the noble Lord will have noticed that concern is expressed in all quarters of the House, and I must say that, although it is no fault of his, I do not think anything he has said this afternoon has made that feeling any easier. May I therefore ask the noble Earl the Leader of the House this question? It may be that to-morrow we shall have a rather short day. Therefore I wonder whether we might have discussions through the usual channels as to whether or not we might have, tomorrow or on an early occasion, time for a debate on this subject, because I think it would be welcome on all sides of the House.
§ THE EARL OF LONGFORDMy Lords, as the noble Lord knows, he has only to raise a matter through the usual channels and we will do everything in our power to meet him.
LORD FARINGDONMy Lords, will my noble friend apprise himself of the depth of feeling on this question that 779 exists in the country and in your Lordships' Chamber, and find out whether, even now, it would be possible to reopen negotiations and come to an amicable settlement with the Maltese? They have always shown themselves good friends of Britain, and their reaction to the present situation is, as my noble friend Lord Brockway said, quite exceptional, quite extraordinary, and an indication of how deeply they feel and how deeply, incidentally, many of us feel.
§ LORD BESWICKI would add, my Lords, that I feel deeply about this matter. Nevertheless, these negotiations and consultations, have been going on for some months, and it is necessary to come to a decision. However, in view of the views expressed, I will of course see that the suggestion about an early debate is considered.
§ THE EARL OF LONGFORDMy Lords, in view of what the noble Lord, Lord Carrington, has said, it seems quite likely that there will be an early debate on this subject; therefore, with great respect, I venture to think we have carried the matter as far as we should this afternoon.