§ 24. Mr. Rankinasked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will state the cost, covering the Army, Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force, of the operations in North Kalimantan.
§ Mr. ThorneycroftThe extra cost of operations by British Forces in Eastern Malaysia is estimated at nearly £3½ million up to 31st March, 1964.
§ Mr. RankinIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that, according to a recent article in The Times newspaper, the cost of these operations is estimated at £1 million per week? Is that figure nearly correct?
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. The hon. Gentleman is quoting a statement in a newspaper for which the Minister is not responsible.
§ Mr. RankinIn view of the cost of these operations, which has been publicised in certain parts of the world, and the fact that the Director of Operations in North Borneo, Major-General Walker, has stated that they will continue for 10 years unless a political solution is found, may I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he can give a little more exact information than he gave to my right hon. Friend the Member for Washington (Mr. Shinwell) a moment ago about the nature of the political offensive that is going on? Will the right hon. Gentleman also say what success he hopes to get from that in order to avoid this expenditure?
§ Mr. ThorneycroftThe short answer to that is that the prospect of a political solution would not be furthered by the abandonment of our military responsibilities.
§ Mr. ShinwellCould the right hon. Gentleman explain why it is that although Australia has indicated for some considerable time a major responsibility for the defence of South-East Asia, Australian contingents have not yet arrived?
§ Mr. ThorneycroftA Question dealing with that was not asked. The Answer may be given to that Question later.
§ Mr. RankinIn view of the right hon. Gentleman's reply to my supplementary question, may I ask whether he recognises that if the weekly figure I gave is correct the expenditure on military operations in the next 10 years will be £500 million? Would the right hon. Gentleman look forward to that kind of expenditure arising if his Government remain in power over that period? Will he realise the importance of taking political action?
§ Mr. ThorneycroftThese are serious problems and they are not served by drawing huge figures from the air. The Question on the Order Paper asked what the cost was and I say that the extra cost of having these troops in the area, that is, their transport, certain works services and overseas allowances for troops who otherwise would not be there, is £3½ million up to 31st March, 1964. I do not think that this is an unreasonable sum for honouring an obligation to an ally.