Diego Garcia

HC Deb 09 April 1974 vol 872 cc138-9

9. Mr. Dalyell

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make an official visit to Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean.

Mr. Mason

I have no plan to do so.

Mr. Dalyell

What was the exact nature of the undertaking given by the Conservative Prime Minister to the Americans on the militarisation of the Indian Ocean?

Mr. Mason

On 5th February the Conservative administration agreed in principle to the extension of facilities at Giego Garcia. I understand that it involved lengthening the runway from 8,000 to 12,000 ft. and also increasing the shipping facilities.

Rear-Admiral Morgan-Giles

Will the Secretary of State give that wise and farsighted consideration which he is so well qualified to give to the whole subject of the broader issue of the defence of trade routes in the Indian Ocean? Will he assure the House that this subject will be fully covered in his Defence White Paper?

Mr. Mason

Yes, I can give the hon. and gallant Gentleman the assurance that the subject will be covered in the defence review and, quite likely, mentioned in the Defence White Paper. He is also right to draw the attention of the House to the fact that trade routes are involved in the Indian Ocean. There is increased Soviet naval activity in that area, and if the Suez Canal is opened the USSR will be 6,000 miles nearer to the Indian Ocean than it is now.

Mr. Hooley

Is my right hon. Friend aware that certain specific pledges were given to Mauritius in 1967 by the then Labour Government about the non-development of this base? Will he look into those pledges and give an assurance that they will be honoured? Is he also aware that the proposed developments are offensive to three major Commonwealth countries—India, Malaysia and Australia?

Mr. Mason

I shall look into that point. Before Her Majesty's Government make up their mind about the future development of Diego Garcia, we shall take notice of the views of the littoral States.

Mr. Ian Gilmour

Does the Secretary of State agree that on the whole it is desirable that successive Governments should keep international agreements which have been entered into by previous Governments? Since Labour's record in this matter is not good elsewhere, will he try to rectify the situation in respect of Diego Garcia?

Mr. Mason

I am sorry that the right hon. Gentleman, who so recently occupied my office, should be so cynical. We do not read the situation in that way. The right hon. Gentleman must realise that there are mixed views in America on this subject and that the Senate Appropriations Committee has just turned down a proposal to spend $29 million on this expansion.