HL Deb 18 February 1964 vol 255 cc757-9

2.45 p.m.

THE EARL OF GOSFORD

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will consider reviving the post of Air Attaché at the British Embassy in Tokyo.]

THE FIRST LORD OF THE ADMIRALTY (EARL JELLICOE)

My Lords, this matter is at present under active consideration.

THE EARL OF GOSFORD

My Lords, while I am grateful to my noble friend for his reply, which of course means anything or almost nothing (perhaps that is slightly unfair), may I urge him that this matter should be pressed on with? May I also ask whether he is aware that this situation has happened before, in Latin America, where we lost the chance of re-equipping many of the Service and civilian fleets there owing to the withdrawal of Air Attachés, who were subsequently put back there, of course, after the horse had bolted.

EARL JELLICOE

My Lords, I am sure that my right honourable friends will bear in mind these South American considerations which my noble friend has mentioned, but I think it would be wrong for me to try to anticipate the collective wisdom of their final decision on this matter.

EARL ALEXANDER OF HILLSBOROUGH

My Lords, may I ask whether this decision is likely to be taken before the Service Departments are put into an entirely different position with the Minister of Defence under the new orders? How long have the representations of the particular Service Departments been before the Minister of Defence?

EARL JELLICOE

My Lords, I think I can assure the noble Earl the Leader of the Opposition that this matter is being pressed forward with a good deal of energy.

LORD MERRIVALE

My Lords, may I ask my noble friend, as there was an Air Attaché at least in 1960 in Tokyo, on what grounds our Air Attaché was withdrawn from that city?

EARL JELLICOE

My Lords, I think he was withdrawn in June last year because his normal tour of duty had expired.

LORD STONHAM

My Lords, if his normal tour of duty had expired, what about his replacement?

EARL JELLICOE

My Lords, this is one of the matters at present under consideration.

EARL ALEXANDER OF HILLSBOROUGH

My Lords, what is the reason for this enormous urgency? Is it the coming Election? Everything now is exceedingly urgent. You have had ever since last June to get this done.

EARL JELLICOE

My Lords, I do not think I can, or indeed should, add anything further.

SEVERAL NOBLE LORDS: Why not?

THE EARL OF GOSFORD

My Lords, I think I can help the noble Lord opposite. There is a Naval Attaché now who doubles the rôle of Naval and Air Attaché. That is the point. The fact is that the Air Attaché having returned home, and a Naval Attaché having taken his job, Naval is talking to Air, and it does not work; somehow, we lose contact.