HC Deb 08 February 1977 vol 925 cc654-6W
Mr. Newens

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the value of the military assistance which has been provided by Her Majesty's Government to each of the members of the ASEAN Alliance, namely, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand for each year from 1973 to the present.

Mr. Mulley

It has not been the practice of successive Governments to give such information.

Mr. Newens

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the armed forces of each of the ASEAN Alliance countries, namely, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand have been on training or educational courses at British universities, military training centres or other British institutions since 1966.

Mr. Mulley

Statistics are now available only from 1973. These show that the approximate number of military students from Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand who attended courses at United Kingdom military training establishments was as follows:

1973 942
1974 901
1975 640
1976 537
The Ministry of Defence does not arrange for military students from overseas to attend courses at universities or other institutions in the United Kingdom.

Mr. Newens

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of Her Majesty's Armed Forces are at present serving in each of the ASEAN Alliance countries, namely, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand; and how many, in each case, have been seconded to the service of the national Government.

Mr. Mulley

The number of members of Her Majesty's Armed Forces, including loan service personnel, serving in countries which are members of ASEAN is as follows:

Malaysia 18
Thailand 1
Singapore 5

The above figures exclude Service attaché representation.

Mr. Newens

asked the Secretary of State for Defence which defence treaties and agreements are at present in force to provide for military arrangements and cooperation between the United Kingdom and each of the members of the ASEAN Alliance, namely, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.

Mr. Mulley

The defence treaties and agreements, none of which relates as such to the Association of South-East Asian Nations, which are in force at present are as follows: (a) The Manila Treaty, signed in 1954 by eight countries, and which affected the South-East Asia Treaty Organisation (SEATO). The signatories were Australia, New Zealand, France, Pakistan, the Philippines, Thailand, the United States and the United Kingdom. SEATO will formally cease to exist at the end of June 1977, although the Manila Treaty will remain in being.

(b) The Five Power Defence Arrangements between Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia and the United Kingdom.

(c) Exchanges of Notes with the Government of Singapore dated September 1970 and December 1971.

(d) Exchanges of Notes with the Government of Malaysia dated December 1971 and March 1973.