§ 6. Mr. Wiggasked the Secretary of State for War whether he will make a statement on the welfare and accommodation arrangements of the 1st Battalion, The Buffs, the 1st Battalion, King's Shropshire Light Infantry, and the 1st Battalion, York and Lancaster Regiment, at present serving in Aden.
§ Mr. AmeryThe 1st Battalion the York and Lancaster Regiment is in a tented camp. The other two battalions are divided between hutted camps and a number of air-conditioned huts which have been loaned to the Army by the British Petroleum oil refinery. These are temporary arrangements to provide for the reinforced garrison.
Permanent accommodation with married quarters will be provided and work on the first seventy-five married quarters is to begin this year. Our troops have access to clubs, canteens and cinemas which are shared with the Royal Air Force. These amenities will be extended by the provision of an Army Garrison Club.
§ Mr. WiggWill the hon. Gentleman, first of all, tell the House whether these troops have enough water to drink or to wash, and sufficient water for cooking and sanitary purposes? When it has been clear for a considerable time that it might be necessary to reinforce the Aden garrison in an emergency, how comes it that the Government intend to leave a battalion in this climate under tents for the whole of the coming summer?
§ Mr. AmeryI have received no complaints about the water supplies, but I shall certainly look into what the hon. Gentleman has said. The existing accommodation for the garrison battalion was, in our view, inadequate, and that is why special steps have been taken to provide permanent accommodation and more married quarters. Naturally, the fact that the garrison needed to be reinforced made the position less easy.
§ Mr. StracheyIf, as seems probable, it is necessary to keep something like this number of troops there for a prolonged period, should not the Under-Secretary of State consider air conditioning and a thorough job for the battalion or battalions that may be kept there?
§ Mr. AmeryAs I say, we have been fortunate in having air-conditioned accommodation loaned to us by the oil companies, but it is a little early yet to say whether there will be any need for a permanent reinforcement of the garrison.
§ Mr. Langford-HoltIn view of the fact that the King's Shropshire Light Infantry were on their way back from East Africa, would it be right to say that they do not at present have their personal baggage and belongings with them? If so, how long will it be before they are in possession of them?
§ Mr. AmeryThe advance party of the K.S.L.I. are already back in this country and we expect the rest of the unit to follow quite shortly. No doubt there will be certain shortages in their equipment, but I understand that these at the moment are not too serious.