My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

My Lords, the tasks of the Central Policy Review Staff continue as originally envisaged when the unit was set up. The noble Lord will find these set out in Cmnd. 4506. The issues with which the CPRS is concerned, and the advice given, must generally remain confidential.

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord for that reply. Will the CPRS, which can make valuable contributions, concentrate in future on central policy, as was originally intended when it was set up? In the recent debate in your Lordships' House on overseas representation, most noble Lords who spoke with great knowledge and experience rejected the main recommendations of that Think Tank report. Has the Prime Minister's attention been drawn to that matter?

My Lords, of course, the Prime Minister's attention has been drawn to it; but, after all, the noble Lord must remember that it was his Government who set this up. I see no reason why there should not be an examination of the Foreign Service. We had a very good debate here, and no doubt we shall, as a Government, take note of the views of noble Lords on this question.

My Lords, to be more constructive and perhaps putting forward some helpful suggestions—since there seemed to be some matters on which the Government stand in need of some policy guidance—might the unit not be asked to consider whether the nationalised shipbuilding industry might in future give ships away free as good will gifts to Communist countries as an alternative to selling them for money? Perhaps they might also be asked to look into the ethics of recording interviews with members of the public for broadcasting as political broadcasts without informing the people concerned of the purpose.

My Lords, the noble Lord asked a Question about the CPRS. I believe he is abusing his position with the questions he has asked now. I think it is totally wrong to attack an organisation in the guise of an attack on the Government over shipbuilding policy.

My Lords, I was not attacking the organisation; I was merely making some suggestions about difficult problems which have to be considered.

My Lords, I hope the noble Lord will regret what he said earlier.

My Lords, even if the contents have to be confidential, at least the subjects could be made public, could they not?

My Lords, I accept that and I believe that this organisation, which was created following a policy decision of a previous Administration, can make a major contribution—

My Lords, that is what I said.

My Lords, the noble Lord should not ask questions sitting down. I believe that it has a major contribution to make.