§ Mr. Emrys Hughesasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what is the purpose of the visit of Mr. Paul Mason, an Assistant Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, to Moscow.
§ Mr. Selwyn LloydMr. Mason supervises the Foreign Office Department dealing with relations with the Soviet Union. He was paying an informal visit to Moscow in this capacity to gain firsthand acquaintance with the work of Her Majesty's Embassy. Such visits by senior officials are a normal practice, which I am sure the House will welcome. During the visit Mr. Mason paid a courtesy call on the Soviet Minister for Foreign Affairs.