§ Q5. Mr. Roderickasked the Prime Minister if he will pay an official visit to Breconshire.
§ The Prime MinisterI have at present no plans to do so.
§ Mr. RoderickI think that it is a pity, because the Prime Minister could help me to explain to my constituents a problem which has arisen due to Answers which I have been receiving from a couple of his Departments. Is the Prime Minister aware that when I asked the Secretary of State for Wales for the number of notified redundancies from 1st January—[HON. MEMBERS: "Reading."] I have to read, because there are figures involved. Is the Prime Minister aware that the figure which I was given for notified redundancies from 1st January to 5th March was 52 and to 29th March 715? On 18th May the Question was transferred to the Department of Employment and the figure was reduced to 99. Will he explain to my constituents why this should be?—[HON. MEMBERS: "Reading."] Does he propose to transfer all unpleasant Questions to the Department of Employment so that it can make the answers more palatable?
§ The Prime MinisterThe hon. Gentleman must assume his own responsibilities to his own constituents.
§ Mr. George ThomasIs the Prime Minister aware that I think he is a very wise man—[HON. MEMBERS: "Hear, 578 hear."]—not to rush into this dangerous invitation, but that if he does pluck up courage and decide to face the Welsh people he will be guaranteed a warm welcome from the 10,000 additional unemployed, from the parents of the 160,000 schoolchildren whom he has cheated of free school milk in order to pay for schools, and from ratepayers, pensioners and housewives who are going frantic with the increase in the cost of living?
§ The Prime MinisterI have always had a very agreeable reception in Wales, and I have no doubts about going there again.
§ Mr. Harold WilsonIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that, out of the characteristic charity and generosity that I always extend to him, when I visit Brecon and Radnor tomorrow night I shall forbear from telling the people there of the characteristic levity of hon. Gentlemen opposite about the unemployment problem in that area? And since the right hon. Gentleman has no intention of going to discover for himself, I shall get the facts and send them to him.
§ The Prime MinisterI am sure that the people of Wales will appreciate that. The last time I was there they commented that the right hon. Gentleman, when he was Prime Minister, passed through at 80 mile an hour, and when one Welshman asked another why that was so, he replied, "Because he could not go any faster".