§ Q3. Mr. Tilneyasked the Prime Minister whether he will propose the formation of a small Commonwealth peace-keeping force at the forthcoming meeting of Commonwealth Prime Ministers.
§ The Prime MinisterI would refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply which I gave to a similar Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Rowley Regis and Tipton (Mr. Archer) on 22nd October.—[Vol. 770, c. 1085–6.]
§ Mr. TilneyIs not a peace-keeping force urgently needed to stop the carnage in Nigeria? Would the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind that more than half the United Nations force in Cyprus, who have done such a wonderful job, is British and that if in the future we concentrate on Episkopi the other Sovereign Base Area at Dhekelia would make a first-class Commonwealth force base?
§ The Prime MinisterI agree with the tribute which the hon. Gentleman paid to what has been achieved in Cyprus, not least by the British Services out there. His question, however, refers to a standing Commonwealth peace-keeping force. We have made clear our willingness to participate in a peace-keeping force in Nigeria. The arguments against a permanent peace-keeping force would be much more difficult to overcome, because one could 1244 never envisage the peculiar circumstances in which it might have to be used.
§ Q4. Mr. Tilneyasked the Prime Minister whether at the forthcoming meeting of Commonwealth Prime Ministers he will propose the adoption of a Commonwealth flag.
§ The Prime MinisterI would prefer to wait until there is evidence of some general interest in such an emblem in the Commonwealth.
§ Mr. TilneySince it is not easy to find either the money or the site on which to erect 28 flagpoles in other cities—that is, except in Parliament Square—would the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind that a simple flag could represent all the colours of the spectrum?
§ The Prime MinisterIt would not exactly be a simple flag if it had to represent all the colours. In addition to the usual practice of displaying flags in Parliament Square, I would be happy to invite the hon. Gentleman in a month's time to Marlborough House, where there is no difficulty in accommodating even the flags of all the 28 Sovereign Commonwealth countries.
§ Mr. Hugh JenkinsWould not my right hon. Friend consider the possibility of such a flag, based on the tie of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association?
§ The Prime MinisterI would require notice of that question.