Part of Oral Answers to Questions — Germany – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 17 February 1954.
Mr Selwyn Lloyd
, Wirral
12:00,
17 February 1954
I presume the hon. Gentleman is referring to the comprehensive proposals which my right hon.Friend put forward at the Berlin Conference on 29th January for the reunification of Germany by means of free elections and the constitution of an all-German Government leading up to the conclusion of a peace treaty. During the last three weeks, my righthon. Friend has had frequent occasion to meet representatives of the German Federal Government, of the various German political parties, including the Opposition, as well as many prominent personalities in West Berlin. The above proposals were fully discussed on these occasions and have been very widely welcomed by Germans of all parties represented in the Bundestag.
The Opposition are the political parties in the House of Commons other than the largest or Government party. They are called the Opposition because they sit on the benches opposite the Government in the House of Commons Chamber. The largest of the Opposition parties is known as Her Majesty's Opposition. The role of the Official Opposition is to question and scrutinise the work of Government. The Opposition often votes against the Government. In a sense the Official Opposition is the "Government in waiting".
