§ Miss Maynardasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the agreement with the Republic of South Africa on the Simonstown naval base is currently in operation; and whether the accompanying agreement to supply South Africa with arms has been abrogated in accordance with the decision of the United Nations Organisation to ban arms exports to that country; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. StanleyI have been asked to reply.
I assume that the hon. Lady is referring to the provision for South African purchase in the United Kingdom of certain naval vessels in the agreement on defence of the sea routes round southern Africa that was signed at the same time as the agreement relating to the transfer of the Simonstown naval base on 30 June 1955. Both agreements were terminated simultaneously by an exchange of letters which entered into force on 16 June 1975 and which were subsequently presented to Parliament in Cmnd. 6229.