§ Sir T. Beamishasked the Secretary of State for Defence what assurances he gave to United Kingdom South East Asia Treaty Organisation allies during his recent visit, about his plans for the sea and air transport, staging facilities, stockpiling and ground installations which will be necessary to enable suitably equipped British forces to have a credible general capability of intervening in the Far East and the Middle East after the withdrawals from both areas are completed; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. HealeyThe visit which my right hon. Friend the Commonwealth Seretary and I recently made to the Far East had nothing to do with the South East Asia Treaty Organisation. It was for the purpose of attending the Five Power Conference of Commonwealth countries in Kuala Lumpur at the invitation of the Prune Minister of Malaysia. I have given a full account of the outcome of that Conference in my statement in the House 217W of 17th June and in the Supplementary Statement on Defence Policy 1968. The question of the Middle East did not arise. —[Vol. 766, c. 713–20.]