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was assessed as being in Hong Kong for internal security purposes.
10.
The inter-Departmental rule, recently confirmed, is that Civil Votes should reimburse the Ministry of Defence the extra budgetary costs of forces provided in a colony for internal security purposes. It is then for HMG to decide to what extent these costs should be recovered from the colonial government concerned.
11.
The distinction between forces provided for internal security purposes and for what may be described as British external defence responsibilities is inevitably somewhat arbitrary but a realistic division might be as follows:-
British external defence responsibilities
a.
b.
two frigates;
23rds major army units;
C. the staging facilities at Kai Tak and the signals and radar units at Tai Mo Shan;
Internal security and purposes other than the above
ã•
e
f.
five mine counter measures vessels;
five major army units and support;
six Whirlwind helicopters;
•
five Hunters, if provided;
the elements of an RAF Regiment Squadron;
the costs of support being allocated as appropriate.
12.
+
In general, the extra costs of the forces listed at paragraph 11(d) (h
will tend in due course to equate to full budgetary costs, as there could otherwise be correspond- ing decreases in our long term force structure. Transitionally, this will not always be the case and, for example, so long as the sixth infantry battalion remains in the Colony on a temporary basis, Defence Votes should recover merely the extra costs of keeping it there instead of in its present permanent duty station: but as soon as a sixth battalion is permanently stationed in Hong Kong (1.e in 1971) we would expect to recover its full costs including works. As for the four battalions to whose costs the Hong Kong Government contributes, it is possible for the present arrangement to continue undisturbed until 1971 although our latest costing shows they are getting good value for money. The mine counter-measures vessels can be provided on rotation from Singapore until June, 1969, and Hunters can continue to visit Hong Kong periodically until they are withdrawn from Far East Command, both on the present basis without charge.
13. Much of the proposed increase in our forces in Hong Kong is a consequence of our withdrawal from Singapore and Malaysia. But we cannot therefore burden Defence Votes indefinitely with the costs of the increased force levels in the Colony: and it can equally be argued that our presence in the Far East has allowed support to the Hong Kong Government to be provided relatively cheaply till now.
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