Lord Banielasked the Prime Minister whether he will specify the allocation of responsibilities between the various Ministers at the Foreign Office.
§ The Prime MinisterMy right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary is assisted at the Foreign Office by two senior Ministers of State, my right hon. Friend the Member for Sheffield, Park (Mr. Mulley) who will deal with economic affairs world-wide, Britain's approaches to the Common Market and other Western European affairs, and my right hon. Friend the Member for Dundee, East (Mr. George Thomson) who will continue to deal with the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, and has wide-ranging responsibilities for other areas including Eastern Europe, the United Nations and Africa, as well as for Foreign Office administration. As I have already explained both Ministers are in all respects equal in seniority.
My noble Friends, Lord Caradon and Lord Chalfont retain their special responsibilities for the United Nations and disarmament respectively, but the latter's field has been extended to cover the Foreign Office interest in defence policy and to include Latin America.
My hon. Friend the Member for Stockton-on-Tees (Mr. William Rodgers) in addition to the duty of Parliamentary Under-Secretary has responsibility for the Information Services and Asia.