§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Prime Minister whether the statement made by the Secretary of State for Defence regarding the Republic of Ireland's attitude to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation represents the policy of Her Majesty's Government.
§ The Prime MinisterI assume that the hon. Member is referring to the remarks made by my right hon. Friend at the end of his visit to Northern Ireland. In commenting on the position of neutral states in Europe, he drew attention to the lessons of the 1939–45 war, and argued that the right course for the United Kingdom is to contribute to NATO. I readily affirm that it is the conviction of this Government that Europe's best defence rests with the NATO Alliance.