§ LORD REDMAYNEasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they have any further statement to make in respect of the numbers serving in the Far East before, during and after confrontation.
§ LORD SHACKLETONI am glad to have this opportunity of expanding the answer which I gave to the noble Lord on June 14. The figures are as follows:—
Service Personnel
(Including Gurkhas, locally enlisted personnel and personnel on ships on sea service based on Singapore and Hong Kong.)
Before confrontation After confrontation 30.9.1962 1.7.1966 Singapore 27,000 34,500 Malaysia 13,500 20,000 Hong Kong 9,500 8,500 50,000 63,000 During confrontation
Peak figures were reached by the Services on different dates as indicated below:— 1330WA
Royal Navy Army RAF 31.3.1965 31.12.1965 31.12.1965 Singapore and Malaysia 16,000 33,300 11,000 Hong Kong 300 7,500 400 16,300 40,800 11,400 Civilians
Figures before confrontation were on a different basis from those now maintained. It is not practicable therefore to give comparative figures. Those for the end of confrontation (1st July, 1966) were:—
Singapore 27,000 Malaysia 6,000 Hong Kong 4,000 37,000 They cover U.K.-based and locally engaged civilians employed by the Ministry of Defence.
Note. On 1st July, 1966, there were also 5,000 Service personnel and 1,000 civilians in areas of the Command other than Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong.