UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (Hansard, 21 March 1978)

§ Q4. Mr. James Lamond
asked the Prime Minister when he next intends to pay an official visit to the United States of America.

§ The Prime Minister
I have accepted an invitation from President Carter to have talks with him on Thursday of this week.

§ Mr. Lamond
When my right hon. Friend is discussing with the President his excellent policies for aiding the recovery of Western European economies in future, does he think that he will be hindered too much by the activities of 1322 the right hon. Lady the Leader of the Opposition, who, in her desperate search for power is advancing blatantly vote-catching and divisive policies based on stirring up the maximum discontent in every section of the population, inciting racial hatred and even inciting mutiny among our Service men on the basis that their pay has been held back by the wages policy?

§ The Prime Minister
President Carter and I will have plenty to talk about in relation to the economic affairs of both our nations and many other countries. I certainly think that there is the prospect of our getting together with a number of other countries to try to restore some confidence to the economies of the world. That is my primary objective. I do not think that anythting that is being said elsewhere will be any hindrance to me.

§ Mr. Rifkind
When the Prime Minister sees President Carter, will he discuss with him the disgraceful refusal of both the British and United States Governments to raise in the Security Council the continuing presence of many thousands of Cuban and Soviet personnel in Angola, Ethtiopia and elsewhere in Africa? How long will it be before the appeasers of the 1970s take action?

§ The Prime Minister
Whether these matters are raised in the Security Council is more a question of whether the raising of them is likely to produce the right result than a question of appeasement. In view of the composition of the Security Council at times—because some of its members are transient—and in view of the composition of the United Nations, these matters are sometimes better discussed bilaterally. There have been strong contacts and strong expressions of view that are known to the Soviet Government and to the Cuban Government. The hon. Gentleman should not assume that because a matter is not raised in the Security Council there are not bilateral contacts in which these issues are made very clear.

§ Mr. Edwin Wainwright
When my right hon. Friend sees President Carter, will he impress upon him that no matter how much we try to boost the economy of this nation and world trade the effect will be very small unless there is corresponding help from other nations, such as 1323 the United States and Germany? Will some thought be given to the state of our economy? Can we do more to boost our own economy, as well as boosting sales abroad?

§ The Prime Minister
Yes. My hon. Friend is right. We can do something to boost our own economy. I hope that the measures that my right hon. Friend the Chancellor has already brought forward, and other measures that he may have in mind, will encourage our economy to grow much faster during this year than a great many other economies, some of which are slowing down. I believe strongly that we need an economic stimulus throughout the world, but basic ally we have to restore confidence. I believe that if confidence can be restored—

§ Sir Keith Joseph
By a change of Government.

§ The Prime Minister
That will not help the rest of the world. Even if the right hon. Gentleman were to become First Lord of the Treasury—I can think of no fate worse than that to befall the nation—the fact remains that these matters need collective effort, and that is what we must have.

§ Mr. Michael Morris
When the Prime Minister meets the President, will he make clear to him that the remarks of Senator Kennedy and other Irish Americans on the subject of Northern Ireland are not helpful, and continue only to inflame the situation in Northern Ireland?

§ The Prime Minister
There are many things that I could discuss with the President. I do not think that I shall concentrate so much on the matters that might divide us as on the positive action that we might take during the coming months to try to escape from the world recession.

§ Mr. Onslow
On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. I think that all hon. Members will have heard the hon. Member for Oldham, East (Mr. Lamond) accuse my right hon. Friend the Leader of the Opposition of encouraging mutiny in the Armed Forces. However puerile that remark may have been, it must have been out of order and should be withdrawn.

§ Mr. Speaker
I did not intervene, because I saw the right hon. Lady the Leader of the Opposition laughing at the remark. But it would be very dishonourable for anyone to do what the hon. Member for Oldham, East (Mr. Lamond) suggested that the Leader of the Opposition had done. Now that my attention has been drawn to the matter, I feel that the hon. Gentleman should withdraw his claim that the right hon. Lady is inciting mutiny in the Armed Forces.

§ Mr. Lamond
In view of your remarks, Mr. Speaker, I withdraw what I said.

§ Mr. Speaker
I am very much obliged to the hon. Gentleman.