HC Deb 09 July 1970 vol 803 cc844-5
Q10. Mr. Sheldon

asked the Prime Minister if he will pay an official visit to Malaysia.

Q11. Mr. Arthur Lewis

asked the Prime Minister what plans he has for official visits to the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

Q13. Mr. Maclennan

asked the Prime Minister when he intends to visit the President of the United States of America.

The Prime Minister

I would refer to my reply to a Question by the hon. Member for Romford (Mr. Leonard) on Tuesday.—[Vol. 803, c. 30.]

Mr. Sheldon

In view of the cost of defence arrangements in this area, can the Prime Minister say whether the rundown of British forces is continuing?

The Prime Minister

As regards dispositions, some changes are still being made. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence expects to leave for the area at the end of this month in order to enter into consultations with Malaysia, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand about the five-Power force and its make-up.

Mr. Maclennan

When the Prime Minister visits the United States, will he instruct himself about labour relations in that country and observe how, as a result of legislation parallel to that proposed by his Government, the Americans have failed to improve the situation and how they have a much worse strike record than we have?

The Prime Minister

As I said, I have no plans at the moment to visit the United States. We have previously discussed this matter in debates on industrial relations.

Sir R. Cary

May I ask my right hon. Friend whether he is free to invite the President to visit this country?

Mr. Heath

The President will always be very welcome in this country. At the moment I have no plans to extend a particular invitation to him.

Mr. Barnett

Will the right hon. Gentleman now tell us whether the rundown is continuing or not?

Mr. Heath

This is an entirely separate Question from that put down on the Order Paper—[HON. MEMBERS: "No."] I have said that changes in dispositions are taking place, because the plan that we have for a presence in a five-power force is smaller than what is there at the moment.

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