Navy Estimates

Part of Defence (Navy) Estimates, 1965–66 – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 11 March 1965.

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Photo of Commander Harry Pursey Commander Harry Pursey , Kingston upon Hull East 12:00, 11 March 1965

He decided also to start the plans for a monster aircraft carrier, again at £60 million, rising to £100 million. For the benefit of the hon. Member for Gillingham (Mr. Burden), to get the figure right, the grand total would be £600 million down the drain.

Let hon. Members think of the social security benefits which could be provided from large savings on those two items alone on which £600 million were to be spent—more homes for the homeless, higher pensions, and no increased taxation. Defence is the cause of increased taxation, not social security. Fortunately for the nation, the new Labour Government have cancelled one Polaris submarine and, therefore, will have saved the nation on this one item alone in the long run over £100 million. Admittedly, there will be breach of contract commitments.

Why should Britain build and pay for these four Polaris submarines? If they are a necessity they are a Commonwealth necessity, and Canada, Australia and New Zealand should provide some of them, or at least some of the money. In fact, last year Canada considered providing one Polaris submarine for her own use. That is the way in which we should have closer liaison with the Commonwealth countries in paying for this large naval expenditure.

A quick word about the new monster aircraft carrier, because I have discussed this subject in previous years. The Labour Government, wrongly in my opinion, have confirmed the building of this mastodon and, in consequence, in the long run, will throw away £100 million. There is no purely naval rôle for this vast and unnecessary expensive ship in a war against Russia. Where would she be used? There is nowhere to use this ship in a major war. The Russians would sink her in 24 hours, because carrier aircraft are no defence against a series of attacks by larger land-based aircraft.

There is another question. When this ship goes to the Far East, if she is ever completed, where will she dock in the event of damage? There is no dock to take her. The demand for this largest of all ships is not an Admiralty and a naval one, but a Foreign Office and political one. The requirement, and at what a price, is simply to provide a floating aerodrome east of Suez for brush warfare. That argument has been confirmed 100 per cent. by the Minister this afternoon.

At the same time, the R.A.F. demands and gets land aerodromes in this area at great cost. What a game! Expense is no object, even when the Navy is pouring millions of pounds down the drain, and the R.A.F. likewise. But the United States already has huge carriers there and the operations should be United Nations operations or allied operations and not the independent efforts which are going on at present. Moreover, smaller commando carriers are more suitable from the point of view of both size and price. What will be the position when the area east of Suez is peaceful? Britain will have the largest naval white elephant in history with a life of about 30 wasted years. It will be another example of the Tory Party's 13 wasted years.

This brings me to the question of the proliferation of naval establishments throughout the country and some suggestions I have for the closure of some of them to achieve savings and a better use of sites and buildings. Consider, first, air stations. The Navy has a number of them and so has the R.A.F., but none of them is fully used. Why not make combined use of some stations and close down others?

Consider, next, the Royal Marines, to which reference has been made in the debate. At one time consideration was given to the abolition of the "bullocks" of the Navy. [HON. MEMBERS: "Who?"] Do not tell me that hon. Gentlemen opposite have never heard of the "bullocks". Have they never heard the expression "headrope along—bullock adrift"? Perhaps that is going back a bit.

Today, the Marines are largely employed as soldiers, probably more so than as seamen. Their cost should be transferred to the Army Estimates. When ashore the Marines come under the Army Act and I am sure that a case could be argued for their transference to the Army. If this were done large economies would accrue at Headquarters and other establishments. One argument against the transfer is that naval officers would lose their batmen and mess waiters, although I can assure hon. Members that no problems arise in ships without Marines.