HC Deb 05 July 1967 vol 749 cc1811-2
27. Sir G. Sinclair

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if, in the light of recent events in Hong Kong, he will make a statement on the strength and rôle of British forces there.

Mr. Healey

The rôle of British forces in Hong Kong is to assist if necessary in maintaining internal security in the Colony and in its external defence. Recently, an additional battalion has been temporarily attached to the garrison. I consider that the garrison is of about the right size at present, in the light of all the circumstances.

Sir G. Sinclair

As the Hong Kong Government are now facing the clear prospect that China will wish to stir up further local trouble, will the Minister ensure that the splendid Hong Kong Police, who did such a magnificent job recently, will when they next have to face internal disorder know that they have behind them in reserve the backing of a credible military force?

Mr. Healey

I agree entirely that the Hong Kong police did a magnificent job in the recent disturbances. They did it knowing that they had behind them the backing of something like 10,000 British soldiers, who were never required to be used. We know that the situation remains a difficult one, and that is one of the considerations which led us to put a further battalion there.

Mr. Rankin

Will my right hon. Friend keep before him the fact that the chief cause of industrial unrest in Hong Kong are the miserable conditions in which the great mass of the people in Hong Kong are living today, and will he not agree that the situation there is something which can be solved not by military means but only by political means?

Mr. Healey

No one who has followed recent events in Hong Kong will believe that they had anything to do with industrial conditions there. Of course, industrial conditions there are not as good as we should all wish them to be, but the fact is that they are very much better than in most other Asian countries. It is an astonishing tribute to the success of British administration that Hong Kong has been able to absorb over 3 million refugees in the last 20 years and still provide them with work and living conditions which compare favourably with those in most of the rest of Asia.