§ 2.34 p.m.
§ LORD BROCKWAYMy 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 what investigation has been made of the statement by President Kaunda of Zambia on February 15 that between January, 1966, and August, 1967, a total of 713,130 tons of oil, petrol and sub-products destined for Rhodesia were delivered at ports in Mozambique by ships sailing under eleven national flags, including the British flag.]
§ THE MINISTER OF STATE, BOARD OF TRADE (LORD BROWN)My Lords, the document distributed by President Kaunda contains a list of 165 tankers of various nationalities. It in fact covers virtually all the tankers calling at Mozambique ports between January, 1966, and August, 1967. The document also gives figures for the tonnages of oil supplies unloaded by each vessel, but the aggregate total of 713,000 tons is only about one quarter of what, according to our information, was delivered to Mozambique ports, and in most cases the figures given for individual tankers are only a fraction of their capacity. However, in appears to have been suggested to President Kaunda that the figures in the document refer to oil supplies destined for Rhodesia.
This falls down on two counts. First, it is known that 49 of the tankers listed carried crude oil exclusively, and we know that no crude oil is getting into Rhodesia because the only refinery at Umtali is closed down. Secondly, the suggestion implicit in the document is that a fixed proportion of each and 1220 every cargo delivered to Mozambique ports over a period of twenty months found its way to Rhodesia. The implication is therefore that the figures in the document are a fabrication; that the document was planted on the Zambians; and that they have most unfortunately been taken in by it.
§ LORD BROCKWAYMy Lords, while thanking my noble friend for that very full reply, may I ask whether he would agree that the word "fabrication" is a little strong? Did not President Kaunda give many details? Do not the ships include 23 British ships? What investigation has been made of the cargoes of those particular ships and of the companies which they were serving?
§ LORD BROWNMy Lords, I am not suggesting for a moment that the fabrication has been done by the Zambians or President Kaunda, but on the best interpretation we can make of the evidence we have come to the conclusion that the document itself is a fabrication. The investigations done into the activities of British oil companies leave Her Majesty's Government satisfied that the British oil companies themselves are not supplying oil to Rhodesia.
§ LORD BROCKWAYMy Lords, may I ask my noble friend whether he happened to see the television feature "World in Action" on October 2, which actually filmed the delivery to Salisbury from Beira of an article which was prohibited by sanctions, with the help of a London shipping company? May I ask him what checks are made at Beira, and whether it is not now time that a similar prohibition was enforced at Lourenco Marques where the greater part of this defeat of sanctions is operated?
§ LORD BROWNMy Lords, I did not see the broadcast in question. I know that there are many rumours, and I think one could use the word "fabrications", about the situation. As for the question of extending the Beira patrol to Lourenco Marques, that is a matter for the Security Council.
§ LORD BALFOUR OF INCHRYEMy Lords, would not the Minister agree that it is regrettable that there are so many bodies and individuals who are always willing to prejudge every issue, saying that Britain is wrong?
§ LORD BROWNYes, my Lords.
§ LORD ILFORDMy Lords, is the noble Lord able to say what agency was responsible for the fabrication of this document?
§ LORD BROWNNo, my Lords, I am not able to say. We do not know.