§ Q9. Mr. Benceasked the Prime Minister if he will now announce the date of the visit of the Soviet leaders to this country.
§ The Prime MinisterAs I told the House on 16th December, Mr. Kosygin has accepted my invitation to visit this country. We are in touch with the Soviet Government about a date for this visit. I have nothing further to add for the present.
§ Mr. BenceWill my right hon. Friend appreciate that there is tremendous understanding in this country of the great leadership he is giving in initiating disarmament talks and giving a lead to a general solution of European and world problems? This country is now better led than it has been for ten years.
§ The Prime MinisterMy right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary is having important talks with the Soviet Foreign Minister this week, and I shall be seeing Mr. Gromyko this afternoon. I am not sure how encouraging I would regard the progress of the talks to date, but we are attempting to get the best progress we can out of what is at present, as the House will realise, for a number of reasons, an extremely difficult situation.
§ Mr. Biggs-DavisonWill the Labour Party be giving the distinguished visitors a dinner party downstairs, and will the First Secretary of State be there?
§ The Prime MinisterThese jokes are becoming very repetitive. We had the same sort of thing about three weeks ago. Mr. Gromyko is here as the guest of Her Majesty's Government, and I shall be very happy to give an assurance that we do not intend any of the means by which he travelled to be affected by frogmen.