§ Q23. Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that on Thursday, 18th November 1971 the hon. Member for West Ham, North tabled a Parliamentary Question to him for answer on Tuesday, 23rd November, requesting him to meet Mr. Vic Feather and the Trades Union Congress General Council to discuss the unemployment situation; what time this Question reached his office; why on Friday, 19th November, he made an announcement from Number 10, Downing Street anticipating this Question; and whether he will ensure that this does not happen in the future.
§ The Prime MinisterThe text of the hon. Member's Question reached my office when the Order Paper was circulated last Friday morning. I cannot agree that a meeting of considerable public interest and importance should not have been announced on Friday, 19th because the hon. Member had tabled a Question about it for answer on Tuesday, 23rd. Any suggestion that the announcement was made with the specific purpose of anticipating the hon. Member's Question is wholly untrue.