§ 2.57 p.m.
§ Lord HALEMy 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 was the total value of armaments and parts exported with the authority of the Ministry of Defence to Aviation Jersey Limited and their declared ultimate destination, for the calendar years 1973, 1974 and 1975 respectively.
§ Lord WINTERBOTTOMMy Lords, my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Defence has asked Sir Philip Allen, a Member of the Security Commission, to conduct an independent inquiry into Ministry of Defence transactions with Aviation Jersey Limited and I cannot comment further at present.
§ Lord HALEMy Lords, would my noble friend say why he cannot comment further? Is he is really claiming that the appointment by the Secretary of State for Defence of a member of the Civil Service to investigate something which happened in the Civil Service—which was of the type analogous to high treason—should prevent any further information being forthcoming? This is a matter of grave interest; it involves the question of whether, if we send our sons and daughters to Rhodesia—which God forbid!—it might mean that they would be mown down by tanks and weapons supplied illegally with either the knowledge or connivance of the Ministry of Defence.
§ Lord WINTERBOTTOMMy Lords, the matter is grave; therefore your Lordships will wish to be accurately informed. My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Defence should be in a position soon to make a further Statement about this matter. I am afraid my noble friend must await the Statement.
§ Lord HALEMy Lords, would my noble friend wait before sending troops 1651 abroad, if we are to wait for information? Would he say whether the Minister of Defence was unaware that Jersey does not possess a Tank Corps? Therefore the supplying of tanks to Jersey in containers, which went straight to Johannesburg, was a matter which should have attracted the attention of everybody in the Ministry of Defence. Did the £41 million worth that was supplied to Jordan but which arrived in Johannesburg, contrary to the agreement, do so as a result of carelessness, lack of supervision or active participation? Would he realise that this is a matter than cannot lightly be forgotten and is of real gravity in connection with Britain's situation in South Africa at this moment?
§ Lord WINTERBOTTOMMy Lords, the Ministry of Defence were aware of what had happened; hence the inquiry.
§ Lord HAILSHAM of SAINT MARYLEBONEMy Lords, is the noble Lord aware that Sir Philip Allen is a gentleman who commands very wide respect in all quarters of your Lordships' House?