§ 48. Mr. Emrys Hughesasked the Prime Minister if he will publish as a White Paper or in the OFFICIAL REPORT the text of his statement regarding apartheid made on a public occasion in Trinidad on 28th March.
§ Mr. R. A. ButlerI have been asked to reply.
No, Sir. I note that the hon. Member is following closely the activities of my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister. I have ascertained that my right hon. Friend would wish to be allowed to decline the honour which the hon. Member wishes to confer on him.
§ Mr. HughesIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that, of course, I follow the Prime Minister's speeches? It is our duty to do so. I do not want to embarrass either the Home Secretary or the Prime Minister by saying that this was a very good speech in which he said that a policy of apartheid was anti-Christian, but could the right hon. Gentleman assure us that his right hon. Friend who disseminates information throughout the world will see that this speech is widely distributed throughout Africa?
§ Mr. ButlerIt was not a speech. It was in answer to a question at a Press conference. The Prime Minister used the words which have been attributed to him and I have checked with him that that is so. I do not think that the honour of circulating them in the OFFICIAL REPORT or making them into a White Paper is necessarily desirable, as they were answers at a Press conference.