§ Q2. Mr. Charles Morrisonasked the Prime Minister how many official lunches he has given at 10, Downing 1128 Street, for the furtherance of Government business, since he took office.
§ The Prime MinisterTwelve, Sir.
§ Mr. MorrisonDoes not the Prime Minister consider his reply somewhat surprising? Does not he recall the speech of the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Technology in another place on 28th January? In view of that speech does not he realise how much time he must have wasted and how inefficient he must have been? Is not the right hon. Gentleman aware that the cost of his business lunches is entirely paid by the taxpayer?
§ The Prime MinisterThe supplementary question from the hon. Gentleman was so predictable that I have a full list of everything that my noble Friend said in another place on that occasion. If the hon. Gentleman wishes to deal with it seriously, I can tell him the names of the people for whom the 12 lunches were held. They were the Prime Ministers of Ceylon, Trinidad, Ireland, Denmark, India, Australia and New Zealand, the President of Burma, the President of Zambia, the King of Jordan and the Secretary-General of N.A.T.O.
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. The House will be so indignant with itself soon because it has not got on with Questions to the Prime Minister.