§ 14. Mr. William Hamiltonasked the Minister of State for Defence if he will 398 now make a statement about the United Kingdom defence rôle in the Persian Gulf.
§ Lord BalnielI am not yet able to make a statement.
§ Mr. HamiltonWhen does the Minister expect to receive the recommendations of Sir William Luce on this matter? Will they be made public? Will the hon. Gentleman give assurances that no British troops will stay there unless the local rulers publicly declare that they want them to?
§ Lord BalnielSir William Luce is making his report to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, and it is for my right hon. Friend to make whatever statement is appropriate.
§ Mr. Scott-HopkinsDoes my hon. Friend agree that the local rulers are very anxious to have a British presence there? Is it not true that such a presence would be a great advantage to safeguarding our interests in that part of the world?
§ Lord BalnielIt is better that we should await the report of Sir William Luce. I hope that we shall have an opportunity to debate these matters in the near future.
§ Mr. George ThomsonHow was it possible to give firm defence targets in yesterday's White Paper when the Government state that they have not yet taken their decision on such a major policy matter as our future rôle in the Persian Gulf?
§ Lord BalnielThe cost of a rôle in the Persian Gulf would be fairly limited and would come within the defence budget targets.