§ 21. Mr. Fisherasked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs whether, when Her Majesty visits South America, he will advise her to visit her subjects in the Falkland Islands also.
§ 24. Mr. Boyd-Carpenterasked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs if he will advise Her Majesty to include a visit to Her Majesty's loyal subjects in the Falkland Islands during her visit to South America this autumn.
§ Mr. George ThomsonThis possibility has naturally not been overlooked, but there are a number of practical difficulties.
§ Mr. FisherIn view of the recent anxieties of the people of the Falkland Islands, now happily allayed, and the possibility of a visit to their country which was the cause of those anxieties, would not the right hon. Gentleman agree that it would be both reassuring and extremely popular with the people of the Falkland Islands if Her Majesty visited her Colony?
§ Mr. ThomsonI have no doubt about the popularity of it. We regard this as an important question, but I must make clear that no decision has yet been taken about a visit to the Argentine.
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterWithout wishing to add to the enormous burdens Her Majesty carries so tirelessly, does not the right hon. Gentleman appreciate that here there is a unique opportunity to show the fellow feeling and sympathy of all of us in this country with those islanders, so remote, who have suffered much anxiety in the past year or two?
§ Mr. ThomsonI will bear in mind what the right hon. Gentleman said.