§ 48. Mr. Swinglerasked the Minister of Defence if, in the light of Her Majesty's Government's claim to take independent military action in certain fields, he will now instruct the Service Departments to maintain separate accounting of the material received under the Mutual Defence Assistance Agreement.
§ Mr. SandysThis has always been done.
§ Mr. SwinglerIs the Minister aware that his predecessor informed the House not long ago that it was impossible to distinguish between the equipment supplied under the Mutual Defence 1266 Assistance Agreement and British equipment, and that was why he was unable to say whether or not American equipment had been used at Suez, in violation of the agreement? Is the Minister now claiming that there is a separate account kept of all equipment received from the United States?
§ Mr. SandysIf the hon. Gentleman will read his own Question, he will see that it refers to accounting. What he is now talking about is the distribution and use of that equipment, which is a different matter.