§ 47. Mr. Frank Allaunasked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will cancel the naval visit to South Africa unless he receives an undertaking from the South African Government that there will be no discrimination against coloured sailors in the visiting party.
§ Mr. ReynoldsI would refer my hon. Friend to the Answers that I gave to similar Questions this afternoon.
§ Mr. Ogdenasked the Secretary of State for Defence what were his reasons for approving the proposed visit of units of the Royal Navy to ports in the Republic of South Africa.
§ Mr. ReynoldsVisits such as this are an important part of our naval cooperation with South Africa in accordance with the terms of the Simonstown Agreement.
§ Mr. Ogdenasked the Secretary of State for Defence to what extent, under naval regulations, Royal Navy personnel are separated or distinguished on the basis of race, creed, or colour; and if he will cancel the proposed visit of Royal Navy units to the Republic of South Africa.
§ Mr. ReynoldsThere is no discrimination within the Royal Navy on the basis of race, creed or colour. The proposed visit to South Africa will proceed as planned.
§ Mr. William Hamiltonasked the Secretary of State for Defence on how many occasions in the last 2½ years Royal Navy ships have visited South African ports; and what special arrangements were made to protect the rights of coloured crew members.
§ Mr. ReynoldsIn addition to the visits made by the Royal Navy frigates based on Simonstown under C-in-C S.A.S.A.'s command, Her Majesty's Ships have visited South African ports on six occasions in the past 2½ years. No separate record is kept of coloured personnel serving in the Royal Navy, and it is not known how many coloured personnel were in these ships. However, the practice then was that coloured personnel who did not have strong personal4W reasons for going to South Africa were normally transferred from their ships. It has been usual for multi-racial entertainment to be organised during the course of these visits.