asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will make a statement on the visit to Great Britain of the multi-racial Barbarians rugby team from South Africa;(2) why he requested the rugby football unions to cancel the invitation which they had extended to the multi-racial Barbarians team from South Africa.

I have nothing to add to the Government's statement of 14 September on the current tour of this country by the South African Barbarians rugby club. I am sending my hon. Friend a copy.This statement gives the background to my request to the home rugby unions to reconsider their invitation to this club. It arose from the Government's obligations under the Commonwealth statement on apartheid in sport of 1977, commonly known as the Gleneagles agreement.