§ 48. Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs what pledges on his recent visit he gave the Australian Government on the question of a continuing British military presence in the Far East.
§ Mr. BowdenIt is not the practice to divulge details of confidential discussions with Commonwealth Governments but can say that in my discussions I referred, as I did in my public speeches, to our policy as set out in the statement on the Defence Estimates and repeated our assurance that we would consult them if we proposed to make any major reductions in our forces in the area.