PRIME MINISTER (OVERSEAS VISITS) (Hansard, 19 December 1968)

§ Q2. Mr. Marten
asked the Prime Minister what overseas visits he is planning for the next 12 months.

§ The Prime Minister
On my visit to Bonn and West Berlin next February, I 1555 would refer the hon. Gentleman to my reply to the hon. Member for South Angus (Mr. Bruce-Gardyne) on 10th Dec ember. Apart from this, I have at this stage no plans to announce for overseas visits later in the year.

§ Mr. Marten
As the Prime Minister now feels that there is a strong underlying improvement in our economy, would it not reinforce this feeling in the world if he went on an extended tour of the Commonwealth to meet the people there after the Commonwealth Prime Minister's Conference and particularly if on the way he called in at Gibraltar to show that Britain totally rejects the United Nations resolution?

§ The Prime Minister
With regard to the extremely serious point made by the hon. Gentleman at the end of his supplementary question, as he will know I was in Gibraltar only a few weeks ago. On that occasion I had the opportunity on Gibraltar television of telling the Gibraltarians: We shall…stand four-square behind you and defend your rights to judge for yourselves where your interests and your own future should lie. Nothing that has happened since then, including the vote last night, makes any difference to the attitude of, I am certain, all of us in the House.

§ Mr. Orme
When my right hon. Friend goes to Bonn next year, will he inform Herr Joseph Strauss that we can do without his strictures on the British trade union movement and will he remind him that the British trade union movement was a bulwark against Fascism in this country and has been of great help to Germany?

§ The Prime Minister
There seems to be some doubt about what in fact the Federal Finance Minister said last week, or indeed whether he made that speech at all. However, I am sure that if Herr Strauss reads, with his well-known interest in our affairs, HANSARD he will know at any rate what my hon. Friend thinks on this point.

§ Sir Alec Douglas-Home
Has the Prime Minister marked the contrast between the Government's attitude to wards sovereignty over Gibraltar and that over the Falkland Islands?

§ The Prime Minister
There has been no contrast at all. The right hon. Gentleman will, I am sure, applaud the words used on behalf of this country by Lord Caradon yesterday. The contrast which I noticed is that between what the right hon. Gentleman is saying now and what he said when I criticised his decision to offer frigates to Spain when the Spaniards were claiming Gibraltar.

§ Mr. Thorpe
For the avoidance of doubt, is the Prime Minister aware that there will be overwhelming support for the views expressed by Lord Caradon at the United Nations in regard to the Gibraltar matter and an overwhelming feeling of solidarity for the people of Gibraltar, who wish to remain British?

§ The Prime Minister
Yes. I was not in any doubt that that was the view of the right hon. Gentleman, of right hon. Gentlemen opposite, and of the whole House.

§ Mr. Emrys Hughes
When the Prime Minister is considering overseas visits will he consider visiting Japan, which has made enormous economic progress without anything like the defence expenditure that we have? If he goes to that district, will he also try to visit the island of Okinawa, which wants to get back to Japan and not be an American nuclear base?

§ The Prime Minister
It does not seem to be necessary for me to visit Japan, since that country has such a passionate apologist in the House in the shape of my hon. Friend.

§ Sir W. Bromley-Davenport
Could the right hon. Gentleman make any proposed visit of indefinite duration, so that every one would benefit, except his host?

§ The Prime Minister
The hon. and gallant Gentleman, who is rapidly showing how keen he is to compete with his hon. Friend the Membed for Yeovil (Mr. Peyton) in these subtle intellectual jokes, will know that I have this question regularly put to me, either by himself or some other hon. Gentleman, at about this time of year. Even so, it does not stop my wishing both hon. Gentlemen a very happy Christmas.