asked the Prime Minister to what extent, excluding party political broadcasts, he controls the number and frequency of appearances by Ministers of the Crown in television programmes.

With rare exceptions, Ministers of the Crown appear on television only at the invitation of the broadcasting authorities.

Does the Prime Minister ever watch this visual cavalcade of Ministers studiously evading the simplest question in the course of television interviews? We are used to that sort of thing at Question Time in the House, but has anyone told the Prime Minister that it comes as a great shock to the general public to see Ministers behave like that on the television screens?

I am sure that Ministers will be very grateful for the hon. Member's advice.