- Secret ary ▁for ▁Emp loyment . ▁He ▁played ▁a ▁key ▁role ▁in ▁the ▁passage ▁of ▁the ▁controvers ial ▁Indust rial ▁Rel ations ▁Bill . ▁ 1 9 7 4 ▁saw ▁him ▁moved ▁to ▁the ▁Ministry ▁of ▁Def ence ▁as ▁Under - Secret ary ▁of ▁State ▁for ▁the ▁Army , ▁a ▁post ▁he ▁held ▁for ▁a ▁mere ▁nine ▁weeks ▁due ▁to ▁He ath ' s ▁failed ▁re - e lection ▁bid ▁in ▁the ▁February ▁ 1 9 7 4 ▁snap ▁general ▁election ▁which ▁saw ▁the ▁Prime ▁Minister ' s ▁rival , ▁Harold ▁Wilson , ▁returned ▁to ▁power . ▁It ▁was ▁not , ▁however , ▁an ▁une vent ful ▁time ▁at ▁the ▁Mo D ▁since ▁Smith ▁did ▁visit ▁the ▁surv iv ors ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 4 ▁I RA ' s ▁M 6 2 ▁coach ▁bomb ing ▁in ▁hospital . ▁ ▁D ud ley ▁Smith ▁never ▁returned ▁to ▁government , ▁sp ending ▁his ▁time ▁as ▁vice - ch air man ▁of ▁the ▁Select ▁Committee ▁on ▁Race ▁Rel ations ▁and ▁Im m igration ▁between ▁ 1 9 7 8 ▁and ▁ 1 9 7 9 . ▁With ▁the ▁Conserv ative ▁victory ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 9 ▁general ▁election , ▁the ▁new ▁Prime ▁Minister , ▁Margaret ▁Th atch er , ▁sent ▁him ▁to ▁Europe ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁British ▁deleg ation ▁to ▁the ▁Council ▁of ▁Europe ▁and ▁the ▁Western ▁European ▁Union ▁( WE U ). ▁During ▁his ▁eigh teen ▁years ▁in ▁Europe , ▁Smith ▁served ▁from ▁ 1 9 8 3 ▁to