HC Deb 05 July 1967 vol 749 cc243-4W
13. and 14. Mr. Grimond

asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what is the estimated cost of our military presence in Singapore and Malaysia, respectively, for 1967–68; and what proportion of this cost will be in foreign exchange;

(2) what is the estimated cost of our military presence in Hong Kong for 1967–68; and what proportion of this cost will be in foreign exchange.

Mr. Healey

For the reasons given in my reply to the hon. Member for Salford, East (Mr. Frank Allaun) on 1st March, I do not propose to give the budgetary cost. The estimated foreign exchange figures for 1967–68, on the same basis as that of Annex H of the Statement on Defence Estimates, 1967, (Cmnd. 3203) are Singapore £58 million, Malaysia £16 million, Hong Kong £11 million.—[Vol. 742, c.91.]

Rear-Admiral Morgan Giles

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the budgetary cost of British Forces in Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia, the Middle East, Cyprus, Malta, North Africa and Gibraltar, respectively; and how much of this cost is in foreign currency in each case.

Mr. Healey

For the reasons given in my reply to the hon. Member for Salford. East (Mr. Frank Allaun) on 1st March, I do not propose to give the budgetary cost. For the foreign exchange costs for Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia, I would refer the hon. Member to my reply today to the right hon. Member for Orkney and Shetland (Mr. Grimond). The corresponding information for the other areas is as follows:

£ million
Cyprus … … … 15.5
Middle East … … … 23
Malta … … … 12.5
Libya … … … 1.5
Gibraltar … … … 6.5

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