§ Q6. Mr. Skinnerasked the Prime Minister if he will now pay an official visit to Hong Kong.
§ The Prime MinisterI hope that an opportunity to visit Hong Kong may arise before long but I have no plans to do so in the immediate future.
§ Mr. SkinnerWill the right hon. Gentleman see to it that the Department of Trade and Industry inspectors—yet to be named—who are to inquire into the Denys Lowson case take full account of the whereabouts of the Hong Kong stamp collection that was purchased for his collection by Mr. Lowson, a well-known philatelist, with other people's money, at a cost of £28,000? Whilst the right hon. Gentleman is about it, will he also ensure that the stamp collection is completed by the butter stamp?
§ The Prime MinisterIf the hon. Gentleman has any information that he believes involves an offence against the law it is his responsibility to bring it to the notice of the inspectors, the Director of Public Prosecutions, or the Attorney-General. If the hon. Gentleman wishes to make unsubstantiated allegations against a citizen of this country, perhaps he will make them outside this House and let the citizen seek redress.
§ Sir John TilneyWhen the Prime Minister does visit Hong Kong will he note the remarkable success of private enterprise there, in no way associated with Socialist nonsense?
§ The Prime MinisterI saw it for myself when I was there in 1970. I would have thought that everyone would agree that it has been a most remarkable achievement for a British colony to take in several million refugees, to give them a much higher standard of living than they have ever had before, and to provide the great majority of them with excellent housing.