HC Deb 16 July 1968 vol 768 cc1253-5
08. Dr. Gray

asked the Prime Minister when he plans to visit India; and if he will make a statement.

The Prime Minister

I look forward greatly to visiting India when this can be arranged, Sir, but I cannot yet forecast when this is likely to be.

Dr. Gray

Does my right hon. Friend not think that, given the replacement of John Freeman by a career diplomat and a number of problems like that of the Kenyan Asian holders of British passports and the non-proliferation treaty, which require discussion at top diplomatic level, he should reconsider that decision, that the time has passed when Commonwealth Prime Ministers were expected to come to London for discussions, and that he should travel more often to confer with them?

The Prime Minister

I am not aware that the replacement of one distinguished representative in India who had one particular background before he went there by another equally distinguished public servant who is now going to Delhi, will make the problems which my hon. Friend mentions either easier or more difficult to solve. But some of the problems would be highly appropriate for discussion at the forthcoming Conference of Commonwealth Prime Ministers.

Mr. Frederic Harris

If the Prime Minister thinks that there is merit in his hon. Friend's proposition, would he consider making his stay as lengthy as possible?

The Prime Minister

I am most grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his witty and polished contribution to our discussion. I seem to remember that when I have been abroad there have been complaints from hon. Gentlemen opposite that I have not been here.

Mr. Edwin Wainwright

Would my right hon. Friend consider this matter seriously as one of urgency? Does he not realise that the acclaim given from the other side to the supplementary question about his being away from the country as long as possible arises from the fact that the party opposite cannot compete with his wonderful ability?

The Prime Minister

That is a very agreeable remark from my hon. Friend. One of the difficulties that anyone in my position has is that he receives very large numbers of invitations from countries overseas because the standing of the country abroad is a good deal higher than it is in the eyes of hon. Members opposite.

Sir A. V. Harvey

Up to a year ago, the Prime Minister—[Interruption.]— spent much time travelling in Transport Command aircraft. Now he does not seem to go much further than the Isles of Scilly and Huyton. Why has he adopted this new policy?

The Prime Minister

At any rate, I am glad to welcome back the hon. Gentleman. On all my recent visits abroad I have had the great benefit—and I know that the hon. Gentleman agrees with this —of Air Support Command. It has been an extremely valuable and a cheaper way of travelling. In those circumstances I have travelled many tens of thousands of miles since last December; to Australia, when the Leader of the Opposition went, and to Moscow and Washington since then.

Mr. Pavitt

As the speech made by my right hon. Friend at the time of the trouble over the Rann of Kutch was so misconstrued throughout India, will my right hon. Friend treat a visit as a matter of urgency, because I am certain that the misunderstanding should and could be cleared up?

The Prime Minister

There is obviously a clear misconception here, because the actions taken by Mr. Freeman and by his successor in Delhi, who was at that time High Commissioner in Pakistan, were responsible for settling the problem of the Rann of Kutch. The anxieties expressed by my hon. Friend refer to a statement made some months later at the time of the actual outbreak of fighting between India and Pakistan.

Mr. Tapsell

As most of the serious problems that faced our former High Commissioner in Delhi stemmed directly from the Prime Minister's ill-chosen words at the time of the Indo-Pakistan conflict, would it not be kinder to our new High Commissioner if the Prime Minister stayed right away from India?

The Prime Minister

The hon. Gentleman is entitled to his opinions. They do not happen to be shared by the Government of India.