Mr BEAZLEY —My question is to the Prime Minister. Are you certain that you have been fully informed by the Minister for Foreign Affairs on all discussions, correspondence and communications with Asian ministers regarding their concerns about the abolition of DIFF? Are you fully satisfied that the record in this House on this matter is now complete?

Mr HOWARD —Not surprisingly I have had a number of discussions with the foreign minister about this matter. It is a serious question and I will answer it very seriously. In my view it is quite clear in this matter that the foreign minister did inadvertently mislead the House when he made the statement that he did on 18 June. I am personally satisfied that my colleague—whom I have always found to be an honourable man—did not set out to mislead the parliament.

Mr Brereton —Oh!

Mr HOWARD —I repeat—he did not set out to mislead the parliament.

Mr Lee —He just did.

Mr Crean —He is loose with words.

Mr SPEAKER —Order!

Mr Beazley —Let him finish.

Mr HOWARD —Thank you. It is very gracious of you. I have discussed this matter at length with the foreign minister. I have asked him whether all of the facts and circumstances that are relevant to this were included in the statement that was made shortly before question time. He has informed me that, on the basis of his own recollections, on the basis of the information given to him by his staff and on the basis of the material provided to him by the department and by the agencies of the department, that is the situation. I can give no more complete answer to the leader's question.