§ Ql. Mr. Canavan asked the Prime Minister if he will list his public engagements for 22nd January.
§ The Prime Minister (Mr. Harold Wilson)I have held a number of meetings with my ministerial colleagues and others today. This evening I shall be speaking at the annual dinner of the French Chamber of Commerce.
§ Mr. CanavanWhen my right hon. Friend meets the French Chamber of Commerce, will he discuss the particular advantages of the public ownership of three of the major banks in France? Did my right hon. Friend notice that both the Conservatives and the Scottish National Party voted against any extension of the Post Office banking services, which are used by many ordinary working people throughout the country for receiving pensions, benefits and for paying bills and rents? Is it not becoming clear that the SNP, in particular, is concerned more with representing the interests of Scottish bankers than Scottish workers? Will my right hon. Friend appeal to all workers to put their money into places like National Savings Banks, Giro and the co-operatives?
§ The Prime MinisterMy hon. Friend will realise that there is no ministerial responsibility for the way in which the Opposition parties vote, althought it is always interesting to observe it from time to time, as clearly my hon. Friend does.
On the subject of the French banks, I take it that my hon. Friend is referring to the semi-public financial corporations, such as the Credit Nationale and one or two others which channel public and private funds for investment into industry. 1531 We have had many exchanges with them about this matter. It is a fact that in certain directions, such as the Commissariat Plan, the French Government have power in respect of individual firms far greater than this House has ever taken, for example, in relation to the National Enterprise Board.