§ Mr. Whitakerasked the Secretary of State for Defence what are the total costs expected to be incurred in this and each of the next five years by this country for military expenditure and bases in the Persian Gulf and elsewhere in the Middle East.
§ Mr. HealeyThe attributable cost of our forces at present in the Middle East is about £66 million a year. For the present position in the Persian Gulf I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Sheffield, Heeley (Mr. Hooley) on 9th November. For the future, I am not prepared to reveal detailed information about our plans for redeployment in the Gulf.—[Vol. 735, c.289.]