§ 3.26 p.m.
THE EARL OF ARRANMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government the cost to the taxpayer of the State Visits of King Hussein in July 1966, and King Faisal in May 1967.]
§ LORD SHEPHERDMy Lords, the cost of the State Visit of King Hussein in July, 1966, was £11,400. The cost of the State Visit of King Faisal this year is not yet known, but I would provisionally estimate a figure around £13,000.
THE EARL OF ARRANMy Lords, while leaving the House to decide whether this money was or was not well spent, do Her Majesty's Government appreciate, by contrast, that since the State of Israel was born no single Israeli President has been invited to Britain on a State Visit? This is meant to be a constructive suggestion. Would it be not only good manners, but enlightened self-interest, when things have settled down a little that such an invitation might be extended?
§ LORD SHEPHERDMy Lords, I am sure that the House would take the view that money that is spent on any State Visit by a Leader or Monarch of any country to this country is well spent, and to be welcomed. In regard to a possible visit by the President of Israel, of course I would not speculate at this moment, but the noble Lord will bear in mind that these State Visits are fairly rare occurrences. There may be one or two in a year, which means that they are spread out quite considerably throughout the world. Certainly, no reflection is intended on any country simply because there has been no State Visit from that country in recent years.
§ VISCOUNT MASSEREENE AND FERRARDMy Lords, perhaps this is not the right question to ask, but may I ask whether the Government are going to ask King Hussein for an explanation and, if not satisfactory—
§ SEVERAL NOBLE LORDS: Order, order!