§ 28. Sir John Farrasked the Secretary of State for Defence if he has any plans to initiate Royal Naval patrols to seek to prevent British merchant shipping being boarded by Iranian soldiers in international waters in the gulf.
§ Mr. StanleyWe maintain a Royal Navy patrol in the vicinity of the gulf. On the question of the legality of boarding vessels on the high seas, I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office to my hon and learned Friend the Member for Burton (Mr. Lawrence) on 28 January at column428.