§ 4.5 p.m.
§ THE EARL OF LONGFORDMy Lords, with your Lordships' permission I wish to repeat a statement which my right honourable friend the Prime Minister has just made in another place. Perhaps your Lordships will allow me to use the words of the Prime Minister. They run as follows: "A week ago I announced the decision of the Government to impose an embargo on the shipment of arms to South Africa. I said that no further export licences would be issued but that existing contracts would be honoured, with the exceptions that sporting guns and ammunition would be stopped forthwith, and that the contract to supply sixteen Buccaneer aircraft was still being considered.
"This further consideration was undertaken in the context of the Government's comprehensive review of our defence policies. Common prudence suggested that a foreign order of this magnitude should not be proceeded with until that review had been made. As a result of that review, the Government have decided that we can adhere to our usual and established policy of honouring firm contracts. No further South African contracts will be entered into.
847 "Her Majesty's Government consider it a legitimate interpretation of the contract to sanction the shipment of spares for the sixteen Buccaneers as and when required."
§ LORD CARRINGTONMy Lords, I think that all my noble friend who sit on these Benches will be greatly relieved to hear that Her Majesty's Government have decided to honour a firm contract. If I may say so, it is a very sensible decision, and I am glad that both the aircraft and the spares for the aircraft will be sent when they are necessary. I am glad, too, to think that the Government, in the week which has elapsed since we last spoke about this matter, have studied what those in another place and those who sit on these Benches said, and have come to this very satisfactory decision.
§ THE EARL OF LONGFORDMy Lords, I am very much obliged to the noble Lord the Leader of the Opposition.
§ LORD HASTINGSMy Lords, may I ask the noble Earl the Leader of the House whether any further consideration has been given to the option, which I believe exists, for the South African Government to purchase a further fourteen of these Buccaneers? That was not mentioned in the Statement, I think. I do not know whether that constitutes part of the firm contract.
§ THE EARL OF LONGFORDMy Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord for giving me the opportunity to clarify the position on this point, which has to some extent, I think, been misunderstood in public discussion. I had better be rather careful to keep to the exact words which have been supplied to me, because it is rather necessary to be quite precise over this. The South African Government have no contractual option with Hawkers for a second batch of Buccaneers—that would be beyond the sixteen—and there is no Governmental understanding that they will be provided. There is an oral understanding with the company that the South Africans would be likely to place a further order, to which, under the policy of the late Government, there would have been no objection; but there is no contract and, therefore, no obligation, legal or moral.
§ LORD CARRINGTONMy Lords, I expect that when that matter arises there will be another Government; but may I ask the noble Earl, the Leader of the House, to clear up one point? I think it is merely a matter of words, but I should be grateful if he would clear it up. I think he said that no further South African contracts will be entered into. I take it that he means for war materials, for arms.
§ THE EARL OF LONGFORDYes, my Lords, certainly. I am surprised if I caused any misunderstanding there. Certainly we were talking of arms. Yes; I realise what the noble Lord has in mind. But, as regards the noble Lord's earlier remark, I hope that noble Lords will not be too exhilarated by a few little local difficulties which have occurred. If they get too excited too early, I think they are in for a very big disappointment.