HL Deb 29 July 1971 vol 323 cc616-7

3.11 p.m.

LORD ORR-EWING

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

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the estimate of the total amount spent in Malta by the British defence forces and their dependants in the financial year 1970–71.]

LORD CARRINGTON

My Lords, just under £14 million.

LORD ORR-EWING

My Lords, does this not mean that, on average, each member of the population of Malta supplies between £40 and £50 worth of goods and services as a result of our troops being there, and has my noble friend drawn the attention of the Prime Minister of Malta to that fact? Is it not also true that the ability to attract future investment to this island, on which its prosperity must depend, will, in its turn, depend on the stability and security of the island which our Forces help provide?

LORD CARRINGTON

My Lords, I do not think anybody would quarrel with what my noble friend has said, and of course I made this point to the Prime Minister of Malta when I saw him the other day.

LORD SHINWELL

My Lords, may I ask whether the noble Lord is aware that although probably every Member of your Lordships' House recognises the past history of Malta and the services rendered to the United Kingdom and the Allies in two wars, nevertheless, and even despite the fact that the expenditure is not the really serious aspect of the problem, the fact is that Malta really now has no strategic value? If some assistance could be rendered to the Maltese Government on behalf of the Maltese people, that would be advisable, but not for the purpose of retaining Malta as a strategic base.

LORD CARRINGTON

My Lords, I do not think that I agree with the noble Lord, Lord Shinwell, that the facilities we have at Malta have no strategic value. I certainly agree with him that the price which has been asked is too high, and we shall have to make up our minds how much it is worth paying for them.