§ 20. Captain W. Elliotasked the Secretary of State for Defence whether South African shore-based air support is available during combined exercises between British and South African naval forces in South Atlantic waters.
§ Mr. HealeySouth African shore-based aircraft take part in these combined exercises.
§ Captain ElliotWould not the right hon. Gentleman agree that this shore-based air support will be very important if the Government's plan to abolish aircraft carriers is carried out? Is he quite satisfied that the South African aircraft in use and the technical equipment they carry are modern and up to the task they have to carry out?
§ Mr. HealeyYes, Sir. I am quite satisfied of that.
§ Mr. Hugh JenkinsIf it is not in order, as the Prime Minister describes it, to play such games as cricket with all-white South Africans, is it not even more wrong to play war games with an all-white South African team?
§ Mr. HealeyI think that the House has recognised on many occasions the distincton between activities which are essential for the prevention of war and activities which are not essential for that purpose and which could be held to imply some political view of what happens in a foreign country which was undesirable. That is why we have always drawn a strict distinction between the position of Greece under the current regime and her position in the Council of Europe. I think that this is well understood.