South Africa (Arms Supplies)

Oral Answers to Questions — Defence – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 11 May 1976.

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Photo of Mr William Molloy Mr William Molloy , Ealing North 12:00, 11 May 1976

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the latest Government policy with regard to the selling of arms to South Africa.

Photo of Mr Roy Mason Mr Roy Mason , Barnsley

The Government's policy on arms sales to South Africa was announced by the then Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on 4th December 1974. There has been no change in that policy.

Photo of Mr William Molloy Mr William Molloy , Ealing North

Is my right hon. Friend aware that on the Government side of the House we are not so much concerned with known changes in the policy as with the apparent breaches of that policy which are frequently reported in the British Press? Does he not agree that there should be a thorough investigation because if reports are true it could damage British-African relations and constitute a threat to our global defence strategy?

Photo of Mr Roy Mason Mr Roy Mason , Barnsley

I am not aware of any breach in the policy on the sale of arms to South Africa. I am only aware of the case in which a firm happened to wrongly label goods going to South Africa, but once that was found out the matter was subject to legal examination. Apart from that case, there have been no breaches in the policy.

Photo of Mr Evelyn King Mr Evelyn King , South Dorset

Does the Secretary of State accept that further advances of anti-Western Powers from Central Africa to the South would be contrary to British interests? Does he accept what flows from that, and will he make those consequences known to the world?

Photo of Mr Roy Mason Mr Roy Mason , Barnsley

The hon. Gentleman is referring to a wider question, which should be addressed to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.

Photo of Mr Marcus Lipton Mr Marcus Lipton , Lambeth Central

Is there not a firm in Jersey that is sending nuclear equipment of some kind to South Africa, with or without the British Government's knowledge?

Photo of Mr Roy Mason Mr Roy Mason , Barnsley

Aviation (Jersey) Ltd. is the firm to which I was referring.