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SOVEMBER 1970
Paper Number 4521 to show what in- crease there has been in financial provi- sion for equipment for each of the three services.
Lord Balniel: There has been no in- crease. As Cmnd, 4521 makes clear, the . Defence budget targets are lower than
• the costings of the programmes, including the equipment programmes, inherited from the previous Administration. The targets nevertheless make provision for a number of substantial improvements in our capability.
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World Peace
Mr. John Morris asked the Minister of State for Defence whether he will particu- larise how the Government propose to implement their intentions with regard to the maintenance of world peace, referred to in Command Paper No. 4521, to re- sume a proper share of responsibility, for preservation of peace and stability in the world.
Lord Balniel: The Government's in- tentions and their proposals for putting them into effect were set out in Cmnd. 4521, to which I have nothing to add.
Polaris Submarines
Mr. John Morris asked the Minister of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the current total cost of building a fifth Polaris submarine with missiles.
Mr. Kirk: I would expect the total cost to be something over £50 million.
Nuclear-Powered Submarines
Mr. John Morris asked the Minister of State for Defence whether it is proposed to continue the current building pro- gramme of nuclear-powered submarines.
Mr. Kirk: I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given today to the right hon. Member for Birkenhead (Mr. Dell).
j' Mr. Dell asked the Minister of State for Defence when he proposes to make a statement on the future nuclear- powered hunter/killer submarine building programme.
Mr. Kirk: The option to increase the rate of build of hunter/killer submarines remains open.
The existing build pro- i.gramme will be maintained for the present
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time and will be kept under review in the light of priorities within Fleet require-
ments.
Far East
Mr. John Morris asked the Minister of of State for Defence whether it is intended that the current rundown of troops and military installations in the Far East should continue at the pace proposed by the previous Government until the British contribution to the five-Power defence arrangements envisaged in Command Paper No. 4521 is the only British force remaining.
Lord Balniel: We have no proposals at present for altering the pace of the rundown, but the plan is kept constantly under review.
Mr. John Morris asked the Minister of State for Defence what command struc- ture is envisaged for the proposed five- Power defence arrangements.
future command arangements with our Lord Balniel: We shall be discussing
Commonwealth partners. Until we have consulted them there is nothing further I can say on this question.
Mr. John Morris asked the Minister of State for Defence what other forces, in addition to the proposed British contri- bution to the five-Power defence arrange- ments will be liable to be called to do duty in the Far East.
Lord Balniel: As stated in the Supple- mentary Defence White Paper, there will be a considerable number of visits by :: combat units of all three Services for jungle, air and maritime training and exercises in the Malaysia and Singapore area. There will also be the garrison in Hong Kong. The question of reinforce- 'ments would be considered in the light
of circumstances.``
Mr. John Morris asked the Minister of State for Defence what is the total strength envisaged for the British bat- talion groups for the Far East; and what "additional forces will remain in Hong
· Kong in this connection.
Mr. Ian Gilmour: The total uniformed strength, including logistic support, of the battalion group referred to in para- graph 10 of, Comnd. 4521 will be about
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RECEIVED HE REGISTRY No.31
FOV 1970.
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