§ 29. Mr. Scott-Hopkinsasked the Secretary of State for Defence how many Army units based in the United Kingdom or in the British Army of the Rhine will be taking part in the five-country exercise to be held in Malaysia in June, 1970; and what is his policy regarding the need to acclimatise them before the commencement of the exercise.
§ Mr. HealeyEight Army units from the United Kingdom, comprising a brigade of two battalions and supporting units, will take part in this exercise, named BERSATU PADU. No units from the British Army of the Rhine will be involved. Provision is made for six weeks' training and acclimatisation before the start of the exercise.
§ Mr. Scott-HopkinsWould not the Secretary of State agree that this period of six weeks' acclimatisation should be the normal period before troops are committed to any kind of action in the Far East? Does not this provision make a nonsense of the right hon. Gentleman's policy to have a presence in the Far East of troops not acclimatised?
§ Mr. HealeyFirst of all, this period of acclimatisation is required only for Army troops who are expected to fight in jungle conditions. It does not apply to various other types of responsibility which might fall to other parts of the Forces. As I understand it, right hon. Gentlemen opposite plan to reinforce whatever presence they maintain in the Far East with troops from the United Kingdom, and precisely the same problems of acclimatisation would apply to those troops.