§ 15. Mr. Juddasked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the annual cost of regular social, medical and educational services to the local populations, other than those connected with military action, provided by British Armed Services east of Suez.
§ Mr. ReynoldsThe Armed Forces do not provide regular services of this kind to local populations, except at Gan, where the cost is £5,000 a year.
§ Mr. JuddWould my hon. Friend agree that in many ways this work is more important and more valuable than military operations undertaken by forces and contributes more to security? Does he not further agree that it could be more effectively undertaken with a civil programme in the area which could be assisted rapidly if we were to reduce our military commitment?
§ Mr. ReynoldsMy hon. Friend asked for regular services and the answer I gave is the only regular service. A lot of work of this nature is done in connection with military operations. This was done in Borneo and is being done in South Arabia, but basically it is not a matter for a charge upon the Defence Vote to carry out this kind of work but on the Vote of the Department dealing with that kind of thing.