§ Q6. Mr. Dalyellasked the Prime Minister on how many occasions since 1979 the United Kingdom has availed itself of the provisions of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation's agreements with the United States of America for the supply or use of equipment outside the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation area.
§ The Prime MinisterNone, Sir. I know of no NATO arrangements of the kind suggested by the hon. Member.
§ Mr. DalyellWhy then, under this agreement, should Mrs. Jeane Kirkpatrick write in The Times on 4 March that precisely such an arrangement made it possible for us to get all the American intelligence that we wanted during the Falklands campaign? When did the right hon. Lady learn from American intelligence of the recall signals on 1 and 2 May from Argentina to the Belgrano? When did she know from American intelligence?
§ The Prime MinisterThe North Atlantic Treaty provides only for mutual defence in the North Atlantic area. Members of the Alliance consult on a wide range of issues inside and outside the treaty area that affect their common interests. Any arrangements made are on a bilateral basis—nothing to do with NATO.
§ Mr. HefferOn a point of order, Mr. Speaker. During Question Time the hon. Member for Christchurch (Mr. Adley)—incidentally, that is where I happened to be, with lots of other people, with the Royal Air Force during the war—suggested that Opposition Members would actually accept a policy of appeasement towards dictators and Facism. May I draw to his attention and the attention of the House—
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. That is not a point for me. The hon. Gentleman must find other methods of drawing the matter to the attention of the House—
§ Mr. Hefferrose—
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. We have a particularly heavy day, with two statements, business questions and a long list of speakers who wish to take part in the Budget debate. If it is a point of order that I can answer, I shall do so, but the hon. Member for Liverpool, Walton (Mr. Heffer) must not try to reply to the hon. Member for Christchurch (Mr. Adley) through a point of order.
§ Mr. HefferIs not the hon. Member for Christchurch misleading the House when he fails to tell hon. Members that it was the Anglo-German Friendship Society, supported by the Conservative party—
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. This is an abuse. I must ask the hon. Gentleman to desist. Business questions.
§ Mr. HefferFurther to that point of order. Mr. Speaker.
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. I gave the hon. Gentleman an opportunity to put a point of order to me, and he is now seeking to extend Question Time because he disagrees with what the hon. Member for Christchurch said.
§ Mr. HefferNo.
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. That is what he is doing.
§ Mr. HefferNo.
§ Mr. SpeakerPut a point of order to me, and I shall deal with it.
§ Mr. HefferI am putting a point of order to you, Mr. Speaker, on the basis that it is your duty to protect the interests of Members of the House. I say that Opposition Members have been deliberately misrepresented because of the statement made by the hon. Member for Christchurch. I believe, in the interests of the House and of honesty, that he should withdraw that statement and learn a bit of history.
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. Every day we hear things in the House that hon. Members disagree with.
§ Mr. HefferIt is a fact.
§ Mr. SpeakerThe hon. Gentleman must find other methods of raising the matter.
§ Mr. SpeakerWell, Mr. Ryman.
§ Mr. RymanDespite your disdain, Mr. Speaker, I have a genuine point of order, and it is this. Is it or is it not in order during Prime Minister's Question Time for sycophantic Tory Back Benchers to ask a supplementary question that is not within the Prime Minister's responsibility, but is simply for the purpose of making a cheap, partisan point?
§ Mr. SpeakerI do not think that that is a matter for me, either.