§ >Q7. Mr. M. Footasked the Prime Minister what consideration he has given to the supply of aid, including arms, to the Royal Government of the Yemen; and whether he will make a statement.
§ The Prime MinisterOur policy towards the Yemen is one of non-intervention in the affairs of that country. It is not therefore our policy to supply arms to the Royalists in the Yemen and the Yemen Government have not requested these or other forms of aid.
§ Mr. M. FootI thank the Prime Minister very much for that reply. Will he give us an assurance that there will be no change in that policy, and that no arms whatsoever will be supplied to the Royal Government of the Yemen?
§ The Prime MinisterI have told the hon. Member what is our policy. This policy needs co-operation, and must be reciprocal. As far as the future is concerned, while it is our policy and we intend that it should remain our policy, it must be remembered that the Yemen is filtering people into the Arabian Federation, and this is becoming a very dangerous state of affairs.
§ Mr. P. WilliamsDoes my right hon. Friend agree that the first objective of British policy in this matter must be to try to get Egyptian troops out of the Yemen and to enable that country to enjoy the freedom that we enjoy here, and that to enable us to do that we need to support our friends in the Middle East, and this may mean giving further support, for instance, to Saudi Arabia?
§ The Prime MinisterThese questions are delicate, and the state of the Middle East is so inflammable that I would rather not carry this further today.
§ Mr. WiggThe right hon. Gentleman has made an important statement. Will he tell the House whether that constitutes a change of policy, and, if so, whether the House may take it that at no time in the last 18 months have British arms been supplied to the Imam's Government?
§ The Prime MinisterThis is our policy, and has been our policy.
§ Mr. Biggs-DavisonIs my right hon. Friend aware that the civilian population in the Royalist-held areas are suffering grievous distress from Egyptian bombing, and that they have hardly any—they have some, but hardly any—medical aid? Will Her Majesty's Government consider whether any kind of moral support, at least, could be given to the Red Cross and other bodies which may be able to help?
§ The Prime MinisterYes, Sir. The International Red Cross is doing very good work in the Yemen, and if it wants some assistance in this work from the United Kingdom Government we shall consider it very sympathetically.