§ Q2. Mr. Eldon Griffithsasked the Prime Minister how many days he has spent out of Great Britain since his appointment.
§ The Prime MinisterTwenty-three days, Sir.
§ Mr. GriffithsIs there not a risk that these frequent visits by the Prime Minister are devaluing the rôle of the Foreign Secretary? Does it not also suggest that we are in some danger of moving towards a presidential form of Government?
§ The Prime MinisterNo, Sir. Indeed, I think that a number of these visits have been pressed on me, quite rightly, by right hon. Members opposite. On some of these visits, we were dealing with a presidential form of Government, and it was necessary—in addition to the many more frequent visits of my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary, who goes to talk to his opposite numbers—for me, for example, to meet President Johnson and President de Gaulle as well as other heads of Government.