28. Miss Wardasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will seek an assurance from the French that in discussing the details of the Schuman Plan no increase of iron and steel productive capacity will be created without consultation with us.
§ The Minister of State (Mr. Younger)As the hon. Member will doubtless be aware, the immediate objective of the six Power discussions now proceeding in Paris is to draft a convention for the establishment of a special high authority for the coal and steel industries. The discussions are, in fact, still in a preliminary stage and, therefore, the situation envisaged in the Question does not at present arise.
Miss WardIs the hon. Gentleman aware that since I put down my Question, Holland has decided to transfer her buying of coal from this country to Germany? Will the hon. Gentleman 2248 protect the full employment interests of the iron and steel workers and miners of this country?
§ Mr. YoungerWe all want to do that. but I do not think that it arises out of the Question.