§ Mr. Teddy Taylorasked the Lord Privy Seal what recent initiatives he has taken on cultural and other links with the Soviet Union; and if he will make a statement on the policy of Her Majesty's Government on relations with the Soviet Union.
§ Mr. RidleyThere has been no change in the Government's attitude to relations with the Soviet Union as announced to the House on 24 January 1980.—[Vol. 977, c. 655-60.] No major Anglo-Soviet cultural events have been held with Government support since the Soviet128W invasion of Afghanistan. However, the biennial renegotiation of the 1959 Anglo-Soviet cultural agreement will take place at official level in Moscow next month. The new agreement, like its predecessors, will regulate and facilitate routine exchanges between people in the educational, scientific and cultural fields. These arrangements are in our interest and consistent with our objectives for the CSCE meeting in Madrid.