§ Q3. Mr. Corbettasked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 21st December.
§ Q5. Mr. Ridleyasked the Prime Minister if he will list his engagements for 21st December 1976.
§ Q6. Mr. Skinnerasked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 21st December.
§ The Prime MinisterIn addition to my duties in this House, I shall be holding meetings with ministerial colleagues and others.
§ Mr. CorbettMay I express the hope to my right hon. Friend that his heavy round of public duties today will allow him to go to the party at Transport House tonight, where they are doing what I think is described as a historical epic—"Treasury Island"? If he gets there, will my right hon. Friend take advantage of any break in the proceedings to give the name of one country that has followed the advice of the International Monetary Fund and has made a success of its economy?
§ The Prime MinisterI certainly hope to look in at the party for a few minutes tonight among the other social rounds that I have. Somehow, I do not think that I shall be discussing the International Monetary Fund on that occasion. I have a feeling that the lads and lasses at Transport House will have many other and more jolly things on their minds.
§ Mr. RidleyWill the Prime Minister find time today to have a short meeting with the First Lord of the Treasury? Will he discuss with him the iniquities of the system known as the 714 certificate, whereby self-employed builders are being prevented from pursuing their work? Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that 20,000 of them have been refused tax certificates, which could result in 100,000 losing their jobs without any appeal whatsoever? Is he aware that this is a scandal that he should look into?
§ The Prime MinisterI fear that there are a number of things that need looking 462 into, including why the hon. Gentleman is backing the National Association for Freedom. I should like to inquire what support the hon. Gentleman has given and what action he has taken in connection with the Grunwick dispute.
§ Mr. SkinnerWill my right hon. Friend spend a few moments today reading more extensively the revelations in the Press about the way in which the National Association for Freedom has got on to the Tory Front Bench and how the CIA assists in running the association? Is it not ironic that the director of the association, Robert Moss, apart from having books published by a subsidiary of the CIA, also acts as speech writer for the Leader of the Opposition?
§ The Prime MinisterI have commented before on the infiltration of the Tory Front Bench, and we are now getting some practical examples as the names of members of the association become known.
§ Mr. ChurchillOn a point of order, Mr. Speaker—
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. I want to hear what the hon. Gentleman has to say.
§ Mr. ChurchillBefore the Prime Minister indulges further in any McCarthy-type smears, perhaps he should be told that I understand that writs are being issued in respect of the unfounded allegations made on the BBC and in The Guardian.
§ Mr. SpeakerThat is a point of order that never existed.
§ Mr. DykesAfter those dramatic exchanges, will the Prime Minister be frank and honest and tell us whether he would prefer to abolish first Mr. Bevan, the Secretary of State for Energy or Transport House as a whole?
§ The Prime MinisterI see that the Christmas spirit has arrived a little early. On the point of order, which was not a point of order and which I would not dream of pursuing, I hoped when I dangled the bait, to catch a good-sized fish. Unfortunately, I attracted only a tiddler.