§ Q5. Mr. Liptonasked the Prime Minister whether, in order to avoid misunderstandings, he will require that Ministers of the Crown, visiting foreign countries in their official capacities, shall not do so under the auspices of the British Council.
§ The Prime MinisterThe British Council does not sponsor visits by Ministers in their Ministerial capacity. It does sponsor visits by judges and it sponsored the visit of my noble Friend the Lord Chancellor in his judicial capacity.
§ Mr. LiptonDoes not the Prime Minister see how dangerous it can be to the work of the British Council, which exists to promote cultural relations, if the Council is used by Ministers of the Crown, whether they occupy a judicial position or not? Why cannot the Lord Chancellor, for instance, if he wants to go abroad and make a political speech, do so out of the funds available in his own Department?
§ The Prime MinisterI should have thought that everyone would feel that it was very desirable for British judges, and the Lord Chancellor, if necessary, to go abroad and to meet their opposite numbers in different countries. That is what my noble Friend did.