§ Mr. Eldon Griffithsasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information is available to Her Majesty's Government as a party to the Antarctic Treaty about the six Soviet scientific stations established on that continent; and if he will place in the Library of the House a map of Antarctica showing the location of British, Soviet, American and other establishments, and the numbers of scientific and other personnel whose presence at these bases have been notified to the United Nations, or to Great Britain as a party to the Treaty.
§ Mr. LuardIn accordance with Article VII(5) of the Antarctic Treaty, signatory nations with expeditions in the Antarctic exchange information annually about their plans for the next summer navigation season and the following winter.
Under this procedure the Soviet Government have informed Her Majesty's Government about continued Soviet activities at the following five stations (date of establishment in brackets): "Mirny" (1956), "Vostok" (1957), "Novolazarevskaya" (1961), "Molodezhnaya" (1962) and "Bellingshausen" (1968). They have also reported that a search will be made for a site for a sixth station to be named "Leningradskaya", to be established either this season or next on the Oates Coast. If a suitable site is discovered and the station is successfully established this season, we would expect to be informed of its position by the Soviet authorities in accordance with Recommendation II-VI of the Second Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting, which calls for the exchange of information on the modification of planned activities notified under Article VII(5) of the Treaty.
Soviet scientific work in the Antarctic is primarily concerned with collecting geophysical observations, but Soviet experts have also undertaken a considerable amount of topographical and geological survey and glaciological research. 213W Her Majesty's Government receives annually from Moscow a list of all the scientists with a note on the subjects they will study; a detailed programme of the scientific work; information about aircraft and ground vehicles, radio communications, landing conditions for aircraft and facilities for rescue and medical aid. In addition, the exchange of scientists which takes place from time to time under Article III of the treaty provides an opportunity for participating nations to obtain detailed information about the scientific programmes at each others' stations.
A map showing the stations to be occupied in the treaty area during the Antarctic winter season of 1970 is being prepared and will be placed in the Library as soon as it is completed. Particulars of the stations by nationality expected to be in operation during the coming winter season, and the estimated numbers of personnel engaged, are as follows:
Nation Number of Stations Number of Scientists Number of Support Personnel Argentina 7 39 79 Australia 3 24 32 Chile 3 22 37 France 1 14 13 Japan 1 16 14 New Zealand 2 24 24 South Africa 1 10 8 United Kingdom 6 41 40 U.S.A. 4 27 200 U.S.S.R 5* 91* 123* Totals 32 308 570 * Figures do not include "Leningradskaya". In the summer re-supply season the population of the Antarctic treaty area of course goes up for a short period (to about 3,000 people at the present time, including additional scientists).