§ 46. Mr. P. Noel-Bakerasked the Prime Minister whether he will now lay a White Paper concerning the military operations conducted by members of the British Armed Forces in the Arabian Peninsula since the month of May, 1955, until today.
§ The Prime MinisterNo, Sir. I do not think any useful purpose would be served at present.
§ Mr. Noel-BakerCan the Prime Minister confirm the report in The Times that the movement which our land forces were supposed to have suppressed last August is now in full control of Oman again? Does not that show that our intervention is not welcomed by the people of the territory? Since sporadic fighting has been going on in the Arabian peninsula for three years, ought not hon. Members to have full information about it in a White Paper?
§ The Prime MinisterNo, Sir; the campaign in Oman in 1957 was brought to a conclusion. There have been a number of isolated incidents during the last year or two, most of them along the borders of the Aden Protectorate, but I do not think that there would be any advantage in cataloguing those in a White Paper.
§ Mr. Noel-BakerIf I send the Prime Minister a list of the incidents which have been referred to in newspaper reports and in Answers to Questions, mostly related, will he consider them? Further, is it right that hon. Members should have to depend upon newspaper reports in matters important enough to involve the use of armed force?
§ The Prime MinisterNo, Sir; I really do not think I can give that assurance. I indicated in some correspondence I had with the right hon. Gentleman this summer that since the campaign in the Oman was finished, there was no purpose in publishing a report. As I say, there are a number of areas where these troubles have occurred but, broadly speaking, they are isolated and there is not much purpose in trying to catalogue them.
§ Mr. Noel-BakerI am very much obliged for the courtesy of the Prime Minister and for the very kind way in which he wrote to me during the Summer Recess, but may I remind him of what he said in his letter to me, namely, that the operations were not yet complete and that therefore lessons could not be drawn from what had happened. Since operations have been going on for three years, ought not hon. Members to have a full picture of what has happened?
§ The Prime MinisterThese are very minor operations, similar to those of which we had considerable experience in the old days. They are somewhat like the old border problems of India. Therefore, I would not have thought this was necessary; but, if the right hon. Gentleman would like to speak to me about it, I will certainly discuss the matter with him. I have nothing to hide from the House, and I will see whether he can persuade me that it would be valuable to the House to publish such a White Paper.