§ Ql. Mr. William Hamiltonasked the Prime Minister whether he will now seek to pay an official visit to Malta.
§ The Prime Minister (Mr. Edward Heath)I have no plans to do so. My right hon. Friend the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary will be making a statement after Questions about recent exchanges between Her Majesty's Government and the Government of Malta.
§ Mr. HamiltonDoes not the Prime Minister think that the defence facilities on Malta are of sufficient importance both to this country and to N.A.T.O. to warrant either the right hon. Gentleman himself going to Malta or his inviting the new Maltese Prime Minister to this coun- 712 try for the purpose of discussing these matters?
§ The Prime MinisterIf the hon. Gentleman awaits the statement which is to be made later by my right hon. Friend the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary, he will learn that, as has been generally published in the Press, my right hon. and noble Friend the Secretary of State for Defence was about to go to Malta. I have myself invited the Prime Minister of Malta to come here.