HC Deb 26 February 1970 vol 796 cc1393-4
Q4. Mr. Bruce-Gardyne

asked the Prime Minister on how many occasions he has been present, in his official capacity, at the opening ceremonies for the offices of trade missions in the United Kingdom of foreign Governments, and in respect of which countries.

The Prime Minister

On the occasion of the opening of the new offices of the U.S.S.R. Trade Delegation on the 17th December.

Mr. Bruce-Gardyne

I am grateful to the Prime Minister for that answer. Could he say why the Russian trade mission was singled out for this special honour? After all, there are any number of foreign Government trade missions in London and with many of those countries we do much more trade than we do with Russia. Is the only distinction that the Russians happen to be the only country whose army has invaded and occupied a neighbouring country?

The Prime Minister

I am sorry the hon. Gentleman takes that line. He will find it very hard to indicate many other trade missions in London of the kind established by the Soviet Government. Therefore, I do not think he can say that I "singled it out". I was invited to go and I went. I thought that it was the general view in all parts of the House that we should try to expand our exports to the Soviet Union and to Eastern Europe. I am sorry to see that the hon. Gentleman is so out of step with his right hon. Friend the Leader of the Opposition who, in the course of the debate yesterday, expressed the view that we should develop trade with Russia and that this would mean not only commercial arrangements but Government arrangements. I was doing in advance what the hon. Gentleman's Leader wanted me to do.

Mr. Winnick

Is my right hon. Friend aware that many Members of the Opposition are now trying to use the same kind of smear tactics against the Labour Party that were used 40, and indeed more than 40, years ago? Will he be very much on his guard against these smear tactics by the Opposition?

The Prime Minister

Obviously one must be on one's guard about these matters, but I do not think many hon. Members in the House were responsible for either the Zinoviev Letter or the stupidity of the Arcos raid. I acquit all right hon. and hon. Gentlemen opposite of responsibility for those actions, though in other directions they sometimes like to go back to the thinking of the 'twenties.