HC Deb 01 March 1967 vol 742 cc503-4
44. Mr. Mayhew

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many nationals of Malaysia and Singapore are employed by his Department.

Mr. Healey

I would refer my hon. Friend to paragraph 10 of Chapter III of Part I of the Statement on the Defence Estimates 1966.

Mr. Mayhew

What studies has my right hon. Friend undertaken with the Singapore Government of the economic consequences of withdrawal from Singapore, or is he assuming that there is no chance of withdrawal within the next four or five years?

Mr. Healey

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. I think that I answered the wrong Question. I am sorry to say that my hon. Friend did not notice it.

Mr. Reynolds

The Answer—

Sir Harmar Nicholls

rose—

Mr. Speaker

Order. Sir Harmar Nicholls.

Sir Harmar Nicholls

Mr. Speaker, in order to protect hon. Members, ought not Ministers, in giving replies, to answer the Questions instead of talking in the sort of shorthand which the Minister adopted, which made it impossible for other hon. Members to recognise whether or not he was answering the right Question?

Mr. Speaker

We have enough confusion in the fact that the Minister answered the wrong Question. Will the right Minister now answer the right Question?

Mr. Reynolds

The Answer to Question No. 44 is that about 37,000 non-European personnel are locally employed in Malaysia and Singapore. I am unable to say how many are nationals of these countries.

Mr. Mayhew

Now that my hon. Friend has had time to consider my supplementary question, will he answer it? What studies are the Government making about the economic consequences of withdrawal from Singapore, or are they assuming that there is no chance of withdrawal within the next four or five years?

Mr. Reynolds

The Government as a whole and the Departments concerned are aware of the economic difficulties of many places where British military personnel are situated at present. We are aware of those difficulties, and, as was stated in the defence debate yesterday, we are looking at the base installations in Singapore. Not until we know what we may require in the future can we be certain how it will affect the area.

Mr. Shinwell

Since my right hon. Friend has given a number of 9,000 Malaysian and Singapore people, may I ask whether he is aware that 36,000 German civilians are assisting our troops in Germany?

Mr. Reynolds

I am sorry, but I did not mention 9,000. I said that there were about 37,000 non-European people employed in Malaysia and Singapore.