HC Deb 01 February 1972 vol 830 cc234-6
Q.3. Miss Lestor

asked the Prime Minister whether he will visit Southern Rhodesia while the Pearce Commission is there.

The Prime Minister

I have no plans to visit Rhodesia.

Miss Lestor

Despite the fact that I might have difficulty in accompanying the right hon. Gentleman to Southern Rhodesia, will he reconsider that reply? Does not he consider it important that, before the Pearce Commission returns to this country, he should discuss with it the possibility of leaving behind machinery to safeguard the lives and liberty of those people who have publicly identified themselves with opposing the Smith regime and the proposed settlement?

The Prime Minister

I do not think that it is necessary for me to make a visit to Rhodesia to discuss a matter of that kind with the Pearce Commission. Lord Pearce has made a statement about immunity, and my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary, as the hon. Lady knows, is in contact with Lord Pearce over this matter.

Mr. Thorpe

Will the Prime Minister take comfort from the fact that he would probably pass Mr. Smith's test of acceptability for Members of Parliament? If the right hon. Gentleman does not feel that he can give moral support to Lord Pearce in this way, since it is the policy of Her Majesty's Government that the test of acceptability shall be carried out while sanctions are still being applied, they having been approved by this House without a Division, may we at least take it that, in support of Lord Pearce, the right hon. Gentleman has made the strongest possible representations to the American Government about the decision of President Nixon to lift the sanctions on chrome imports from Rhodesia?

The Prime Minister

Dealing with the right hon. Gentleman's first question, Lord Pearce and his Commission have the full confidence of Her Majesty's Government. On the right hon. Gentleman's second question concerning chrome imports, this, of course, is a matter for the American Administration on which they must answer for themselves to the United Nations, which is responsible for sanctions.