§ Mr. Ridleyasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, pursuant to the Prime Minister's remarks that Western representations on human rights within the Soviet Union have not been met by an adequate response from the Soviet Union, Official Report, 24th November 1977, column 1750, he will state in what way the Soviet response has been inadequate.
§ Mr. LuardThe remark by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister about the response from the Soviet Union was made in the context of the Belgrade CSCE follow-up meeting. The British delegation at that meeting has made clear that the Government are not satisfied with the degree of implementation by some countries, including the Soviet Union, of the provisions of the Helsinki Final Act relating to human rights. As my right hon. Friend indicated in a written statement to the House on 7th December, in reply to a Question by the hon. Member for Aberdeen, South (Mr. Sproat), the Soviet and other delegations have replied only on a small number of occasions to such criticisms.