Written question asked by Gerald Howarth (Conservative) on Tuesday, 13 March 2001, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 27 March 2001. It was answered by John Battle (Labour) on Tuesday, 27 March 2001 on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, for what reasons invitations to meet Canadian parliamentarians during their visit to London on 5th to 7th March were extended by his Department to Labour and Liberal Democrat honourable Members who took part in a visit to Canada in 2000, but not to the Right honourable Member for Bromley and Chiselhurst, the honourable Member for Buckingham and the honourable Member for Aldershot who were also part of the UK parliamentary delegation to Canada. - (Holding answer 16 March 2001). (Printed in Bound Volume on 23.03.2001 at c420W).

Answer: Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for what reasons invitations to meet Canadian parliamentarians during their visit to London on 5 to 7 March were extended by his Department to Labour and Liberal Democrat hon. Members who took part in a visit to Canada in 2000, but not to the right hon. Member for Bromley and Chiselhurst (Mr. Forth), the hon. Member for Buckingham (Mr. Bercow) and the hon. Member for Aldershot (Mr. Howarth) who were also part of the UK parliamentary delegation to Canada. [153992] Mr. Battle: [holding answer 16 March 2001]: The FCO was glad to be able to make a number of programme arrangements for Mr. Speaker Milliken's first visit to London after his appointment. However, the FCO did not arrange all aspects of his programme, nor of the visit made at the same time by the Chairman of the Canada-UK Inter-Parliamentary Association, Mr. John Harvard. We understood that those hon. Members not invited to earlier events would be invited to another function.

Secondary information