§ 2.40 p.m.
§ [The question was as follows:
§ To ask His Majesty's Government, whether the Minister who replied on July 13 to supplementary questions regarding the insufficiency of our Forces in Singapore to cope with the situation there, has any further statement to make.]
§ THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR COLONIAL AFFAIRS (THE EARL OF LISTOWEL)My Lords, in a supplementary question on July 13, the noble Viscount opposite asked whether His Majesty's Government had made any arrangements for sending further troops to Malaya, and I replied that I could assure him that the Acting High Commissioner was satisfied that the police had adequate military support in the action they were taking against terrorists. I was, of course, aware that the police force itself was being very largely increased, but I did not say that His Majesty' Government considered that the police force alone was adequate to deal with the dangerous situation which now confronts the authorities in Malaya. My right honourable friend the Secretary of State is assured by the supreme military and civil authorities on the spot that the military forces in Malaya, which have been strengthened by reinforcements from Singapore, and which will be further strengthened shortly by the arrival of a battalion from Hong Kong—already under orders to leave—and, in addition, a divisional regiment of the Royal Armoured Corps from this country, are sufficient for the support of the police in the present stage of the operations in Malaya. His Majesty's Government are in constant touch with the civil and military authorities on the spot, and we have complete 1204 confidence in their handling of this extremely difficult situation. If we are asked for further reinforcements beyond those already in view, the call will be met to the utmost extent that our resources permit.
VISCOUNT ELIBANKWhile thanking the noble Earl for his reply, I should like to ask him whether he is aware that the statement made to your Lordships on July 13 was described by the High Commissioner's office in Malaya as being incorrect.
§ THE EARL OF LISTOWELThe statement I made in reply to the noble Viscount, like many statements made both in this House and in another place, was incorrectly reported in the Press, and the incorrect report gave rise to incorrect conclusions. I think, however, that a denial of the original report was made shortly afterwards from the Acting High Commissioner's office in Malaya.
VISCOUNT ELIBANKWill the noble Earl not agree that on July 13 he was painting the picture far too rosily, and that in making no statement about the dispatch of troops he was misleading this House into believing that everything was all right?
§ THE EARL OF LISTOWELI cannot agree with the noble Viscount that I painted a rosy picture of the Forces in Malaya. Nobody who knows the circumstances out there would do anything of the kind. I could not give the noble Viscount particulars of troop movements, for reasons which he can readily understand, although I said that we had met the request that had been made to us and that, in our view and in the view of the authorities out there, sufficient military support for the present phase of operations was forthcoming.
§ LORD MANCROFTCan the noble Earl tell me whether it is intended to replace the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers in Hong Kong?
§ THE EARL OF LISTOWELI am afraid that is not a question I can answer without notice.