§ 16. Mr. Evelyn Kingasked the Minister of State for Defence what estimate he has of the number of oil tankers which in the last three months have been prevented from delivering oil by the ships and aircraft of the Beira Patrol.
§ Mr. KirkNo oil for Rhodesia has passed through Beira. All the tankers which would otherwise have been delivering such oil have obviously been deterred from doing so.
§ Mr. KingWould my hon. Friend accept that, misconceived as is the whole sanctions policy, there might be some conceivable logic in it if everyone were to join in? Within a week in which Zambia has announced that she is 705 increasing her trade with Rhodesia, could my hon. Friend tell the House why Britain alone should bear the costs of this phantom patrol, which stops nothing? Does he realise that this has been going on for six long years and is it not time he assured the House that, whether or not agreement is reached with Rhodesia, this particular waste of money will cease?
§ Mr. KirkAs I have told my hon. Friend more than once, the question whether the patrol goes on is not a matter for me but for my right hon. Friend. Secondly, as I have told the House more than once, this is an obligation laid upon us by the Security Council of the United Nations.
§ Mr. FernyhoughDoes not the hon. Gentleman agree that every national and international law-breaker will be delighted with the philosophy of the hon. Member for Dorset, South (Mr. Evelyn King) that if we cannot catch them all we should never make any attempt to catch any?
§ Mr. KirkI would only say that we have prevented oil going through the port of Beira, which was the obligation laid on the Royal Navy.
§ 20. Mr. Boyd-Carpenterasked the Minister of State for Defence what has been the total cost to the country of maintaining the Beira patrol since 9th April, 1966 ; how many tankers have been intercepted ; how many have been diverted from Beira, and how many have continued on their way to that port ; in how many cases has an attempt been made to use force, and in how many cases has it been successful ; and what has been the effect of this patrol on the supply of oil and petrol to Rhodesia.
§ Mr. KirkThe extra cost is about £2¼ million. About 50 tankers have been stopped since April, 1966 and after inquiries all have been allowed to proceed. I cannot say how often force has been attempted, but I can assure my right hon. Friend that the patrol has been successful in that no oil for Rhodesia has passed through Beira. This illegal régime has been denied the cheapest and most direct method of importing oil.
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterIn view of the fact that petrol in Rhodesia is now not only unrationed but cheaper than in London, and in view of the fact that 706 Foreign Office Ministers now accept that this particular method of carrying out the Security Council Resolution is not a requirement on this country, cannot my hon. Friend find better methods of utilising taxpayers' money and the matchless loyalty and discipline of the Royal Navy?
§ Mr. KirkI do not accept that any of my right hon. and hon. Friends have made statements in that regard—
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterOn 21st June.
§ Mr. KirkI have studied the statement on 21st June. All that the Royal Navy is required to do is to prevent tankers from going into the Port of Beira, and that it has done.
§ Mr. William HamiltonDoes not the hon. Gentleman think it obnoxious that the most loyal supporters of the Crown are seeking to support and encourage an illegal régime in rebellion against the Crown?