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14. We recognise that in the interim period Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom will continue to have direct responsibility for the external defence and external relations of the Federation, and that they will therefore retain in the Federation the forces which they consider necessary for the external defence of the territory and for the fulfilment of their Commonwealth and international obligations. To this end they will require in the Federation the facilities needed for the maintenance of those forces, which include the Commonwealth Strategic Reserve.

15. We agree that provision should be made for consultation between Her Majesty's Government and the Government of the Federation on matters arising from the stationing of United Kingdom and Commonwealth forces in the Federation. This should take the form of an understanding that, except in circumstances when immediate action would be essential, e,g. in war or a serious emergency, the Federation Government should be informed in advance of any proposed substantial changes in the size or character of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth forces in the Federation, and given an effective opportunity of making such representations as they wished. We recognise that in the discharge of their responsibility Her Majesty's Government will be bound to consider their arrangements for the defence of Malaya against the background of general defence policy, and cannot therefore undertake to make their dispositions subject to the approval of the Federation Government, whose views will however receive the fullest consideration.

16. To facilitate the handling of such matters, and to prepare the way for the time when, on the advent of full self-government, responsibility for external defence passes to the Federation Government, we agree that there shall be set up a Committee to discuss and advise on questions relating to the external defence of the Federation. The Chairman of this Committee should, in view of Her Majesty's Government's responsibility for external defence, be the High Commissioner, and its membership should include the Minister for Internal Defence and Security; the Chief Secretary and a number of other Ministers; the General Officer and Air Officer Commanding United Kingdom forces; and the senior civil servant responsible to the High Commissioner for matters of external defence. The Committee will be a temporary body, designed to meet a need peculiar to the interim period.

17. We agree that the needs of the interim period are to maintain the force at a high level of operational efficiency, particularly for the rest of the Emergency; to prepare the way for a smooth run-down of the force to normal proportions thereafter; to establish a system of administration (especially on the personnel side) suitable for continuance into the stage of full self-government and independence within the Commonwealth; and to allow due scope for a policy of Malayanisation without damage to the efficiency and morale of the force as a whole.

18. As regards operations, during the remainder of the Emergency elements of the force will form part of the resources available under the general direction of the Emergency Operations Council (see paragraph 10 above). In normal times the force will be largely self-directing, under its own professional head, since its duties are for the most part laid down by statute.

19. Operations apart, we distinguish two categories of questions affecting the police: general problems of the structure, size, organisation, powers, duties and renumeration of the force; and personnel problems, such as appointments, promotions and discipline. We recognise that the former are questions of policy and require settlement in Executive Council or by the Head of State.

20. Personnel matters, however, so far as individual members of the force are concerned, are administrative in character. Later in this Report we make recommendations in respect of the administration of personnel matters in the public service generally; these include the establishment of a Public Service Commission. There are, however, special considerations affecting the police force, and we therefore recommend that at an appropriate time there should be (31813)