HC Deb 05 July 1967 vol 749 cc1812-4
28. Sir G. Sinclair

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with the Prime Minister of Australia during his recent visit here; and if he will make a statement on the rôles and future strength of British forces in Malaya, Singapore and Thailand.

80. Mr. Dickens

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with the Australian and New Zealand Governments about defence in the Far East.

83. Mr. Stratton Mills

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with the Governments of Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia and Singapore concerning mutual defence problems in the Far East.

Mr. Healey

The discussions are principally concerned with our defence policy in relation to the Far East and the reductions that we propose to make in our forces in that area. The Prime Minister of Malaysia has only just arrived. I was talking to him this morning and during luncheon.

The rôle of British forces in Malaysia and Singapore is to be available, if necessary, to meet our various defence commitments in the area. As I told the House on 1st May, we propose to make reductions in their strength over the next three or four years. I am not yet in a position to define these further.

A Royal Engineer squadron in Thailand will be helping the Thai authorities throughout 1967 with a programme of road building. There is also a Royal Signals team, which provides our link between S.E.A.T.O. Headquarters and Singapore, and a few individuals on detached duty.

Sir G. Sinclair

Will the Minister keep in mind the need to maintain our forces in Singapore and Malaya at a strength which will enable our allies in that area to gather their own defences for the needs of their region before he reduces them further?

Mr. Healey

As the House knows, because I made a statement in the House after my return from the Far East in April, our allies are satisfied with the level of reductions which we propose to make in the coming year. I have been discussing with our allies the reductions which we propose to make in the years following that. I am well aware of the importance to maintain stability in the region and to conduct any rundown in a way which will enable the local countries to find other means of meeting their requirements, and for us to carry out our remaining commitments in the area.

Mr. Dickens

Is my right hon. Friend aware that any decision which the Government make to withdraw military bases from Malaysia and Singapore will be warmly supported from these benches, and that any attempt to replace these bases by building equivalent establishments in Australia and New Zealand will be strongly opposed?

Mr. Healey

I try my best to form a judgment about the views of my hon. Friends and those of right hon. and hon. Gentlemen opposite about all matters which we discuss. That is one of the factors which I try to take into consideration before I reach a decision.

Rear-Admiral Morgan Giles

Will the Minister avoid making the mistake of announcing in advance definite dates for any reductions which he may have in mind?

Mr. Healey

I do not know quite what the hon. and gallant Gentleman means by "the mistake". I suppose that he is referring to Aden, where the previous Government announced a date for independence before we came into power.

Mr. Crawshaw

Is my right hon. Friend aware that, whatever the merit or otherwise of maintaining our forces in Malaysia, there is grave concern that by virtue of our commitments under S.E.A.T.O., we may find ourselves fighting a war in Thailand similar to that in Vietnam, which would be the wrong war at the wrong place at the wrong time? Would he reconsider renegotiating this Treaty?

Mr. Healey

The way in which we meet our obligations to S.E.A.T.O., like the way in which all members of the S.E.A.T.O. Alliance meet their obligations, is under continuous discussion within the Alliance. But I can tell my hon. Friend, as I have said in the House on many occasions, that we have never been asked to provide combat forces to fight in Thailand.

Mr. Powell

No doubt, the Minister has inadvertently fallen into error, but will he agree that at no time did the previous Administration fix a date for the withdrawal of British forces from Aden?

Mr. Healey

I did not say so. If the right hon. Gentleman was a little less sensitive about this matter, he might have heard me say that the British Government fixed a date for independence in Aden.