§ Q3. Mr. Hal Millerasked the Prime Minister whether he will seek to attend the second part of the current session of the Assembly of the Western European Union.
§ The Prime MinisterNo, Sir. I have no plans to attend this meeting.
§ Mr. MillerWhile regretting the Prime Minister's inability to take the opportunity to discuss the defence of Western Europe, may I ask whether he is aware that the pairing arrangements for the first part of the WEU session were broken by the Labour Party at great inconvenience to the Assembly and with lost opportunities to state the British point of view? Will he ensure that these official arrangements are observed at subsequent sessions?
§ The Prime MinisterOn the first part of the hon. Gentleman's supplementary question, I believe that there is very great value in parliamentary discussion of these defence matters. At the NATO twenty-fifth anniversary in my own brief contribution I paid great tribute to the North Atlantic Assembly, where I once headed our delegation, and pressed all our colleagues there to ensure the fullest parliamentary participation in these matters. With regard to the unfortunate incident referred to by the hon. Gentleman, I will discuss the matter with my right hon. Friend the Patronage Secretary.
§ The Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury (Mr. Robert Mellish)I am not the Patronage Secretary.
§ The Prime MinisterThen I shall discuss the matter with my right hon. Friend, a large amount of whose time is not given to patronage, but who has to take account of all kinds of tomfoolery by the Conservative Party on late-night votes.