§ Q4. Mr. Dalyellasked the Prime Minister if he will seek to make an official visit to New Zealand.
§ The Prime MinisterI have no plans to visit New Zealand in the immediate future but look forward to doing so when a suitable opportunity occurs.
§ Mr. DalyellIs the Prime Minister in a position to convince the New Zealand Government that he is doing everything possible to dissuade the French from continuing their nuclear testing programme in the Pacific?
§ The Prime MinisterI did so when I spoke to the Prime Minister in Ottawa.
§ Mr. DribergDoes the Prime Minister recall the great concern shown by a former Prime Minister—Mr. Macmillan—when his attention was drawn to the forecasts by Edinburgh geneticists of the number of babies likely to be born blind or deformed as a result of tests up to that date? Will he say whether any similar research is being done officially here, or in conjunction with scientists in New Zealand and Australia?
§ The Prime MinisterI cannot give the hon. Member the information for which he asks. Of course, we monitor, as I have told the House before, all the explosions in the Pacific for any radio-active effects, and we make that information available to New Zealand and Australian scientists to use if they should wish to make further investigations. I shall inquire into the point raised by the hon. Member to see whether figures can be given to supplement those given to Mr. Macmillan.