asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (1) the number of times the British delegation to the United Nations Assembly voted with the United States and the number of times with the U.S.S.R. during the last two years;

(2) how many times the British representative on the Security Council has voted with the U.S.A. in support of or against proposals and how many times with the U.S.S.R. during the last two years.

Mr. McNeil:

It would be impossible to give an accurate answer to either of these Questions. In the period to which the honourable Member refers the number of occasions on which the United Nations General Assembly, its Committees and Sub-Committees have voted, must amount to many thousands; and the number of occasions on which the Security Council has voted, to many hundreds. Further, the vast majority of votes by the General Assembly are taken by show of hands, and in these cases no official record is kept of the way in which Delegations voted.

Can we take it from the decisions which have been reached that the right hon. Gentleman has experienced no serious ideological differences in dealing with the representatives of American private enterprise?

Mr. McNeil:

I do not think that that is a fair assumption. The hon. Gentleman, of course, will make what inferences he pleases, particularly since there is no evidence on the subject.

Is it the policy of His Majesty's Government to vote in accordance with the merits of the case, or to try to keep the score equal as between the various countries?