HC Deb 07 July 1959 vol 608 cc1113-4
48. Mr. Healey

asked the Prime Minister what official reply he has received from Chancellor Adenauer to his invitation to visit Great Britain.

The Prime Minister

It was originally arranged that the Federal German Chancellor should come to London in December, 1958, but he was forced to cancel his visit because of illness. No fresh date for a visit has yet been fixed.

I shall be pleased to see the Chancellor at any convenient time, although in view of the imminent resumption of the Foreign Ministers' Conference it is difficult at present to say what would be a suitable time.

Mr. Healey

Does the Prime Minister envisage that the German Chancellor should visit Britain before the President of France does?

The Prime Minister

Two separate kinds of question are contemplated. I will make a statement about the possible visit by President de Gaulle as soon as precedent and formality allow me to do so. President de Gaulle is a Head of State. This is a question of the visit of the Chancellor, which is on quite a different basis.