§ 1. Mr. Blakerasked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will now announce details of the reductions in overseas defence expenditure which form part of the firm programmes decided on by the Government which will reduce overseas Government expenditure by at least £100 million.
§ 20. Mr. Frank Allaunasked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will now give details of how he proposes to save £80 million a year in overseas military expenditure.
§ Mr. BlakerIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the House has been told repeatedly since July that firm decisions were then taken, but that time was required for consultation with other countries concerned? If firm decisions were taken in July, how is it that the consultations have taken so extraordinarily long?
§ Mr. HealeyBecause there are two difficult questions here. The first is to agree with our allies the nature of the action to be taken to implement the decisions. The second is to agree with our allies the nature of the publicity to be given to the action taken. Both these are difficult questions which take time.
§ Mr. AllaunDoes my right hon. Friend's very unhelpful Answer mean that only if West Germany agrees to cover our expenditure there will there be any large saving in this expenditure beyond the £10 410 million achieved by bringing home troops from Borneo? Why does not my right hon. Friend say that any expenditure uncovered in Western Germany will be cut?
§ Mr. HealeyThis is a much larger question than West Germany, but my Department has undertaken to find savings to cover the great majority of £100 million savings in foreign exchange during the year concerned, not only in Western Europe, but in other parts of the world as well.
§ Mr. PowellIs it not clear from the right hon. Gentleman's reticence and his supplementary answer just now that there was no firm programme in July, as was then alleged, and there is none now?
§ Mr. HealeyNo, Sir. That is totally untrue, and the right hon. Gentleman will know that I have already announced certain savings which have been made, or are under way, but I am not now in a position to announce the make up of the total savings to which I am committed.
§ Mr. ZilliacusWill my right hon. Friend tell me whether it is correct, as stated, that the United States Administration propose to deduct any saving on exchange by withdrawing troops in Germany from the offset payments which they have promised to make.
§ Mr. HealeyNo, Sir. That is totally untrue, and I am grateful to my hon. Friend for giving me the opportunity of denying it.