§ Q3. Mrs. Hartasked the Prime Minister if he has answered the letter sent from Brazil to him, as head of Her Majesty's Government, by the Portuguese Committee of Democrats on the subject of General Delgado.
§ The Prime MinisterI would refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary to the hon. Member for Woolwich, East (Mr. Mayhew) on 17th December.
§ Mrs. HartIs it not the fact that the decision to refuse a visa to General Delgado, which was the subject matter of the letter from the Portuguese Democrats, was one of the first decisions of the Prime Minister himself after he came to office? In that case, why did not he answer the letter himself? Is he more concerned to protect the dictatorship of the Salazar régime than for it to be thought that he supports the democratic opposition to that régime?
§ The Prime MinisterI think that the hon. Lady may not be familiar with the practice. The practice in matters of this sort is to transfer such letters to the Minister who has statutory responsibility for dealing with them. This is done very often.