Kuwait (Hansard, 19 July 1961)

§ 35. Mr. Emrys Hughes
asked the Minister of Defence if he will make a further statement on Kuwait.

§ Mr. Watkinson
I have nothing to add at this stage to the reply I gave on 17th July to the hon. Member for Dudley (Mr. Wigg).

§ Mr. Hughes
Does the Minister intend introducing a Supplementary Estimate of what we have spent in the desert of Kuwait on the same day as the Chancellor of the Exchequer makes his appeal to reduce defence expenditure? Can the right hon. Gentleman tell us whether we have the men, the money, or the resources to be involved in Kuwait and Berlin at the same time?

§ Mr. Watkinson
On the first part of the hon. Gentleman's supplementary question, he may well be considerably over-estimating the cost of this exercise, because I am glad to say that it has led to the deployment of troops, which we are always having to do round the world, with no fighting. As to our responsibility in Berlin, I consider that we can fulfil this and our responsibility in Kuwait.

§ Mr. Chetwynd
In view of the withdrawal of certain troops recently, can the Minister now say how many are left in Kuwait?

§ Mr. Watkinson
No, Sir. I do not think that it would be in the national interest to do so, but, as I have told the House, I hope that there will be a progressive withdrawal.

§ 37. Mr. Wigg
asked the Minister of Defence whether he will give particulars of the announcement by General Kassem, on 28th June, 1961, of his intention to annex Kuwait.

§ Mr. Watkinson
As is generally known, the first statement by General Kassem of an intention to annex Kuwait was made on June 25th. Since then, his campaign has continued.
I regret that, owing to a clerical error, the date given in my statement of 11 th July was June 28th.

§ Mr. Wigg
The right hon. Gentleman has now discovered three methods of concealing the truth. The first, is to alter HANSARD after he has made his statement. The second is to introduce a statement which he will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT, and the third is to ascribe an error on a major matter to a clerical error. Would not it be better to alter the rules of the House—

§ Mr. Nabarro
On a point of order, Mr. Speaker.

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. I must ask the hon. Member to withdraw the observation that the Minister has been concealing the truth.

§ Mr. Wigg
I will gladly withdraw the words "concealing the truth" and substitute "disguising the facts". Is it not a fact that the right hon. Gentleman made a statement in this House last week which he well knew to be untrue—[HON. MEMBERS: Order.]

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. All imputations of that character are wholly out of order at Question Time. I must ask the hon. Member to withdraw.

§ Mr. Wigg
I will try again, Sir. Is it not a fact that the right hon. Gentleman made a statement in this House last week—[HON. MEMBERS: Withdraw.]—which was—

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. I think that the hon. Member did not hear me. I said that I must ask him to withdraw the imputation.

§ Mr. Wigg
That is so, Mr. Speaker. I withdraw, but I will try again. Is it not a fact that the right hon. Gentleman made a statement in this House last week which was incorrect, which he knew to be incorrect, and which he took no—[HON. MEMBERS: "NO."]

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. It is no good. It is back to the same thing. I think that it would be tedious if I had repeatedly to ask the hon. Member to withdraw. There is now one more that he has added, which I must ask him to withdraw.

§ Mr. Wigg
I will gladly withdraw, Mr. Speaker. I am trying hard to be accurate. Is it not a fact that the right hon. Gentleman last week made a statement 1235 in this House which was not in accordance with the facts, namely, that General Kassem did not make a statement on the date on which the right hon. Gentleman said he made it. He made no effort to withdraw, alter, or amend HANSARD, and when I put a Question down to him, and having notified his office of the fact, he then sought to transfer the Question to the Lord Privy Seal to avoid having to reply.

§ Mr. Watkinson
That is not so. As soon as this was drawn to my attention and I recognised that an error had been made, I immediately sent a message to the hon. Gentleman saying that I would be very pleased to answer his Question.

§ Mr. Speaker
Sir Wavell Wakefield.

§ Mr. Wigg
I should like to make a categorical statement—[HoN. MEMBERS: "No."]—

§ Mr. Speaker
My voice is failing to carry. I called the next Question. Sir Wavell Wakefield.