§ Lord Tebbitasked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Answer by Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean on 5 November (H.L. Deb., col. 370), whether the remarks made by the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in a television interview on 175WA 18 October concerning General Pinochet were an expression of personal view and not government policy; and whether they will say (a) how viewers were expected to know that this was so, (b) whether any other of his remarks expressed only personal opinion, (c) whether it is their policy that Ministers being interviewed in their official capacity should mix personal and official views without distinction. [HL39]
§ Lord Sainsbury of TurvilleThe views expressed by my right honourable friend were personal, as was made clear by my noble friend Lady Symons of Vernham Dean (H.L. Deb., col. 370).