§ Q4. Mr. W. Hamiltonasked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the congestion caused in London by State visits to this country, he will take steps to 230 advise the reduction of such visits in the future.
§ The Prime MinisterNo, Sir.
§ Mr. HamiltonDoes the Prime Minister really think that friendship between the peoples concerned is in any way consolidated by these visits? Does he not recognise that a great many people in London in particular find them an irritating and frustrating bore, that they lead to considerable congestion and that they serve no useful purpose whatever and sometimes do positive harm?
§ The Prime MinisterI have a suspicion that the hon. Gentleman objects more to the State visits than to the dislocation of the traffic.
§ Commander DonaldsonIs my right hon. Friend aware of the tremendous pleasure that the people of Scotland had in the fact that the Queen received the first State visit for a century in Edinburgh recently, and that this is something to be desired to foster knowledge and understanding between countries and also good humour and affection between them?
§ The Prime MinisterYes, Sir. I think this was a very remarkable occasion and much appreciated in Scotland.