ANGOLA (BRITISH SUBJECTS) (Hansard, 28 July 1975)

§ The Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Mr. David Ennals)
As hon. Members will know, in view of the dangerous situation in Angola it was decided to evacuate British citizens and to close the Consulate-General. The decision was taken over Friday night, and the Royal Air Force evacuated 26 British citizens from Luanda on Sunday morning. Fourteen EEC nationals, 10 United States nationals and four Commonwealth and other nationals were brought out in this plane. About 12 British citizens decided not to leave. It is hoped that they will have the opportunity if they wish to do so within the next few days to take spare seats under air or sea evacuation arrangements of other friendly countries.
These arrangements were for Luanda only. In other parts of Angola, many have already left independently under arrangements made in consultation with our Consul-General.
Decisions on evacuations and their timing are always difficult. In this case, we were mainly influenced by the importance of using the airport while it remained safe to do so, and while access to the airport through troubled quarters of the city remained feasible.
Our best assessment is that the situation in Angola is likely to get worse and that the capital could become a battleground in which British citizens would be at serious risk. So far, there have been no British casualties, although there has been some damage to property.
1292 We greatly regret the tragic turn of events which made this evacuation necessary.

§ Mr. Dalyell
Is it sufficient simply to say, as regards those who elected to remain, that there will be sufficient accommodation for them under the evacuation arrangements of other countries? Would it not be wiser to make some definite arrangement?

§ Mr. Ennals
The British citizens who decided to remain knew that the evacuation arrangements were being made. We issued a warning on 24th July, which was broadcast on the BBC Overseas Service, advising British citizens whose presence in Angola was not strictly essential to leave. We then informed them as soon as the decision was taken. It seems that about 12 have decided to stay. There are alternative arrangements—quite apart from those made by friendly countries—if in the event these people cannot leave under the arrangements made by friendly countries in the next few days.

§ Mr. Tugendhat
From this distance it would be impossible to criticise decisions taken in Luanda, but will the Minister of State confirm that a number of other European countries have left diplomatic representation in Luanda and that we are the only country to have withdrawn?
The Minister of State said that some British subjects had decided to stay. I think that he was referring to people in Luanda as distinct from Angola as a whole. Were there any British subjects who, far from declining to leave, were unable to get to Luanda because of the speed with which the operation was conducted? How many British people are there actually in Angola altogether? Can the Minister say what is the value of British interests in Angola currently at risk? Finally, which friendly Power is looking after our interests now that we have left?

§ Mr. Ennals
There are a number of questions there. As the hon. Gentleman recognised, it is always difficult to take a decision. If we had taken a decision too late and it had been impossible to get the plane into the airport, we would no doubt have been criticised because we had not acted quickly enough. We are not the only country which has evacuated citizens. Some have 1293 done so by their own arrangements and some have done so by our arrangements. There are still some countries, of which the United States is one, which have not evacuated their citizens.
As the hon. Member deduced, the statement I made about 12 British citizens referred to Luanda alone. I do not think that there were any British citizens who decided to remain because they did not know of the operation or were unable to leave at that stage. As for those in other parts of Angola, it is difficult to be certain how many have left under their own arrangements. Some people live in fairly scattered areas. It is a very big country and it had long been agreed—these people knew it—that exacuation from Luanda could not include citizens in the distant areas of Angola. The number is likely to be few. In some cases they are wives of Angolans or of Portuguese settlers. The number is very small.
I will have to inform the House later as to the responsibility that is held.
I cannot at this stage tell the House the total value of the property that is left there. As I said in my statement, some of the property has been damaged. Most of it has not been. The British consular staff are being looked after by non-British staff; so the consulate is still there.

§ Mr. Newens
Can my right hon. Friend say what the attitude of the British Government will be to the parties involved in hostilities? Can we take it that we shall be pursuing a policy of neutrality?

§ Mr. Ennals
We certainly deeply regret the situation—

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. I allowed this Question with some doubts because of the safety of British subjects. I do not think that we can get involved in general questions of foreign policy.

§ Mr. Newens
On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. Does it not affect the question of the safety of British citizens to know what attitude the British Government are taking towards the parties involved in the hostilities? As the hon. Member for the City of London and Westminster, South (Mr. Tugendhat) asked such a long question, am I not entitled to have a comment on this matter?

§ Mr. Speaker
The hon. Gentleman is entitled to have a comment if the Minister chooses to make it.

§ Mr. Maxwell-Hyslop
On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. In at least two respects I think that the Minister will find that he has not said what he meant to say, through verbal infelicities. On this occasion it is important that we should have on the record what he meant to say, so perhaps he can be allowed the same indulgence as a maiden speaker to alter the record in Hansard to what he meant to say.

§ Mr. Speaker
I do not regard that as a serious point of order.

§ Mr. Kinnock
On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. While I understand your ruling that the Minister must make up his own mind as to whether he answers the question asked by my hon. Friend the Member for Harlow (Mr. Newens), in fact you rose before my right hon. Friend the Minister of State had had time to answer the question put by my hon. Friend the Member for Harlow. It may be that my right hon. Friend the Minister of State was about to tell my hon. Friend to take a running jump. Surely my right hon. Friend should be allowed to tell my hon. Friend that for himself.

§ Mr. Ennals
I had intended to answer the question asked by my hon. Friend the Member for Harlow (Mr. Newens). We deeply regret the situation in Angola. It is not for us to take sides. I, and, I think, the whole House, would want to appeal to both sides to call off this very damaging armed struggle so that Angola can have a smooth and peaceful transition to independence. I do not think that it would be helpful to us to take sides.
Perhaps I may be allowed to add that I now know that the estimated value of British property in Angola is £60 million.

§ Mr. Teddy Taylor
As the situation in Angloa is now developing into little more than a bloodthirsty shambles, is the Minister of State seriously telling us that he has no precise idea of the number of British residents, that he has no precise idea of where they are, and that he has not given them any instructions as to whom they should contact if they get into 1295 trouble? In view of the right hon. Gentleman's obvious and well-known interest in the so-called freedom fighters in Angloa, does he not think that he has a duty to give us some indication of what advice he has given to people whose lives will be at risk?

§ Mr. Ennals
I do not think that the situation is as the hon. Gentleman describes it. As regards those in Luanda, I have already said that our best information is that the number is about 12. It could be 14, but it is roughly that figure. I cannot give a figure for those in other parts of Angola, simply because, as people have been leaving in the course of the last few weeks, we do not know how many have left and how many are there. They all know perfectly well that if they are able to get in touch with Luanda they will be able to make transitional arrangements to get out of the country.

§ Mr. Faulds
Is it not the normal practice in circumstances as abnormal as this that one of the matters of first priority is to determine who will oversee British interests when we withdraw?

§ Mr. Ennals
This decision will be taken probably in the course of the next 24 hours. The operation of the evacuation of citizens has been done very rapidly over the weekend. It is a matter of negotiation, and the matter will be dealt with rapidly. I shall answer a Question in the House concerning which country will take responsibility.

§ Mr. David Steel
Surely our Consul in Angola does not constitute our diplomatic representation in that area. Somebody must be responsible for British affairs in that country.

§ Mr. Ennals
It is true that the British Consul has been withdrawn. It clearly would have been wrong to have left our small consular staff in Angola after the vast majority of the British citizens had been withdrawn. The Consul returned in the early hours of this morning.

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. I think this matter must be pursued on another occasion.