§ Mr. VazTo ask the Prime Minister if he will list(a) the place, time and date when he met Salman Rushdie and (b) the length of the meeting; and if he will make a statement.
§ The Prime MinisterI met Mr. Rushdie at the House of Commons on 11 May for about 40 minutes. Mr. Rushdie briefed me about the problems he faced and his approach to them. I underlined the Government's full support for Mr. Rushdie's fundamental rights as a British citizen and expressed concern that the Iranian authorities had failed to repudiate the incitement to his murder in the "fatwa" and the bounty which an Iranian organisation had offered. Mr. Rushdie expressed appreciation of the Government's support for him. The United Kingdom has a deep respect for Islam. I believe that Iran's behaviour towards Mr. Rushdie has done a disservice to that great religion.