HC Deb 20 July 1982 vol 28 cc110-1W
Mr. Latham

asked the Prime Minister whether she will list, with names and dates, all Ministers who have, since 23 July 1981, visited (a) Israel, (b) Saudi Arabia, (c) other Gulf States including Iraq, (d) Jordan, (e) the Lebanon and (f) Syria; and what visits are scheduled to any of these countries over the next three months, provided that current hostilities cease.

The Prime Minister

The information requested is as follows:

Prime Minister Bahrain, Kuwait 25–28 September 1981
Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Lord Carrington) Saudi Arabia Israel 3–5 November 1981 30 March-1 April 1982
Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Mr. Pym) Saudi Arabia 14 June 1982
Secretary of State for Defence Jordan 20–23 September 1981
Secretary of State for Trade (Mr. Biffen) Iraq 3–7 October 1981
Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Mr. Hurd) Oman Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, Yemen Arabic Republic 1–4 December 1981 21 February-2 March 1982
Minister for Health (Dr Vaughan) Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates 24–28 October 1981
Minister for Local Government and Environmental Services (Mr King) United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Jordan, Saudi Arabia 30 October-6 November 1981 14–20 May 1982
Minister for Housing and Construction (Mr Stanley) Saudi Arabia 2–8 April 1982
Minister for Industry and Information Technology (Mr Baker) Oman and United Arab Emirates 25–29 September 1981
Minister for Trade (Mr Rees) Iraq, Syria and Jordan Bahrain, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Oman 12–22 February 1982 26 March-2 April 1982
Under-Secretary of State for Energy (Mr Mellor) Iraq 15–17 February 1982
Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Mr Clarke) Kuwait 4–7 January 1982
Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Mr Eyre) Saudi Arabia 30 May-1 June 1982
Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Mrs Fenner) Israel 2–4 January 1982

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs hopes to visit Syria and Jordan shortly, but there are at present no firm scheduled visits by British Ministers to any Middle East countries for the next three months.