HC Deb 02 February 1966 vol 723 cc1065-8
14. Mr. Atkins

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what modification of his plan to establish defence facilities in the British Indian Ocean Territory he proposes to make following the resolution of the United Nations General Assembly of 16th December on this subject.

Mr. Mayhew

None, Sir: the British delegate made it clear that we could not accept the references to these islands in the resolution.

Mr. Atkins

While I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for saying that he will not pay any attention to the United Nation's resolution in this case, may I ask him whether the resolution does not make it clear that the establishment of land bases anywhere outside these shores is always liable to run into political difficulties, and ought we not, therefore, to be studying the alternatives?

Mr. Mayhew

We did not think that the resolution dealt with the problem realistically. As the hon. Gentleman knows, we have taken certain action here that we think is wise bearing in mind that we cannot foresee what the future defence needs in the area might be.

Mr. Barnett

Will my hon. Friend bear in mind that it would be impossible to carry out any policy in the area east of Suez with borrowed money? Would he agree that in the present economic situation it is impossible to sustain the sort of defence commitments that we have at the present time?

Mr. Mayhew

That raises much wider issues.

17 and 18. Mr. Powell

asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) whether he will give a general indication of the nature and purpose of the defence facilities to be constructed in the British Indian Ocean Territory;

(2) what approximate estimate has been made of the total cost of the defence facilities to be constructed in the British Indian Ocean Territory.

Mr. Mayhew

Neither Her Majesty's Government nor, I understand, the United States Government have at present any specific plans for constructing military facilities on any of these islands. There are, of course, a number of military uses to which the islands might be put in due course, as and when specific requirements arise, and this was the justification for the establishment of the British Indian Ocean Territory.

Mr. Powell

Is the hon. Gentleman saying, then, that the establishment of this Territory—which, as the former Colonial Secretary said, was intended to be available for the construction of defence facilities by both countries—was a pure speculation when no ideas had yet been formed either as to the purpose or as to the cost?

Mr. Mayhew

The future defence requirements of the area are extremely difficult to foresee, and I think that if we had not taken this decision we might well have laid ourselves open later to a charge of extreme lack of foresight of the kind we saw so often during the previous Government.

Commander Courtney

Will the hon. Gentleman make proper use of the defence facilities of the Union of South Africa in terms of the Simonstown Agreement?

Mr. Mayhew

That is a different question.

19. Mr. Wall

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what understanding exists between Her Majesty's Government and the Government of the United States of America as to the proportion in which the cost of any defence facilities in the Indian Ocean area will be shared between them.

Mr. Mayhew

Each country will pay for the facilities in which it has the prime interest. All facilities will be available for use by both countries without charge.

Mr. Wall

Does that apply to both existing bases and possible future airstrips such as Diego Garcia?

Mr. Mayhew

That would apply to all defence facilities on the island.

Mr. Powell

Has an understanding in these terms been reached between this country and the United States without there being any idea at all what the facilities will be or what their purposes will be?

Mr. Mayhew

No, Sir. Of course, a number of ideas have been put forward—for instance, an American communications centre and a British fuelling base. I merely say that these are ideas which are not specifically decided on yet, but the facilities exist for putting them there if we want them, and that this is a sensible precaution.

Mr. Zilliacus

Can my hon. Friend tell me to what extent this sharing of defence facilities and defence costs in the Far East means an integration of British defence policy with that of the United States? Can he, further, give an assurance that it is not the policy of this Government to fight Communism or put down revolutions in other people's countries?

Mr. Mayhew

We have had very long and very successful experience of this sort of military co-operation with the United States.