§ 31. Mr. Biggs-Davisonasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the cost to the Exchequer and to the balance of payments of sanctions against Rhodesia, and of the forfeiture of orders for warships, aircraft and military equipment obtainable in Portugal and South Africa.
§ Mr. Harold LeverThe cost to the Exchequer of maintaining sanctions against Rhodesia, including contingency support for Zambia, was £36.8 million between I.D.I. and 28th February 1969. The cost to the balance of payments cannot be precisely estimated. In 1968 as in 1967 the cost, excluding any effect of the Rhodesia situation on the price of copper, was probably not very different from the figure of £40 million for 1966, given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to the House on 16th March, 1967.
On arms sales it is not the practice of Her Majesty's Government to publish the confidential exchanges with other Governments. Nor is it possible to compute the hypothetical benefit to the balance of payments of any arms sales to Portugal and South Africa not permitted under 979 the policies of Her Majesty's Government.
§ Mr. Biggs-DavisonIn view of the persistent imbalance in our trade and the very serious economic situation, will the Government now restrain their ideological hatred of indispensable allies and stop subverting by their policy our economy and strategy?
§ Mr. LeverThe hon. Gentleman will not expect from me a full statement on Government policy in this area in reply to a supplementary question.
§ Mr. MolloyWill my hon. Friend take note, in relation to this question, that the price that humanity has often paid for giving in to authoritarianism is much more than the answer that he has given, and that neither the Government nor any other decent Member should take notice of the policy advocated by the hon. Member for Chigwell (Mr. Biggs-Davison).