§ Q4. Mr. Longdenasked the Prime Minister if he will give instructions to Ministers in the Cabinet to refuse to appear on television programmes whose primary object is entertainment; and if he will seek to confine Ministerial appearances on television to occasions when they wish to explain Government policy to the nation.
§ The Prime MinisterNo, Sir, a certain degree of flexibility is necessary in these matters and each case must be decided on its merits.
§ Mr. LongdenIf Ministers are prepared to be cross-examined on television, 1140 which could make for serious political discussion, would it not be more useful and more seemly if they were to be matched by their Parliamentary opponents—[HON. MEMBERS "Impossible."] —rather than by persons whose qualifications are uncertain and whose avowed, though perfectly legitimate, object is to amuse?
§ The Prime MinisterIt seems to me, from some of these programmes, that my right hon. Friends—as I said, each case must be judged on its merits—take part in programmes which seem to have an entertainment context and put forward a serious policy statement, whereas right hon. Gentlemen opposite appear in serious programmes and give us nothing but entertainment.