§ 2.40 p.m.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the present tour of duty for a battalion in Aden.]
§ THE MINISTER WITHOUT PORT-FOLIO (LORD SHACKLETON)My Lords, the battalions now in Aden are on a tour of duty of about nine months, except for one which is on a tour of seven months.
LORD GRENFELLMy Lords, I thank the noble Lord for his Answer. Can he tell me how long the battalions now in Aden have been stationed there? Secondly, while paying sincere tribute to the troops in Aden, may I ask, in view of the mental and physical strain of the present emergency, whether the Minister will consider more frequent relief than would otherwise be customary?
§ LORD SHACKLETONMy Lords, I am not sure whether I can tell the noble Lord exactly how long each battalion has been in Aden. Certain of them are due to be relieved. For instance, the 3rd Royal Anglians are due to be relieved in May, when they will have done only seven months' duty there. But they are being relieved in May because this follows a tour overseas elsewhere. The 1st Royal Northumberland Fusiliers are due to leave in June. I could go through the list, but most of the infantry units there now are due either to go home and be relieved, or to go home. A number are, in fact, being relieved by other units some time in the course of this summer.
As regards the ardousness of duty in Aden, which I think was the second part of the noble Lord's supplementary question, it is the view of the Government, which I share, that the tour is not too long. There is no doubt about the arduousness of the task of countering organised terrorism, which is a particu- 1320 larly unpleasant, worrying and thankless task; and it is not made any easier by unfounded allegations about their conduct.
§ SEVERAL NOBLE LORDS: Hear, hear!
§ LORD SHACKLETONAs I am sure your Lordships would agree, they are behaving with great courage and restraint, and, I believe, effectiveness.