HC Deb 11 June 1951 vol 488 cc1666-7
51. Mr. Niall Macpherson

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what representations he has received from the Governments of the signatories of the European Coal and Steel Community Plan in regard to the future of the International Ruhr Authority; and whether he will make a statement.

Mr. Younger

When the Schuman Treaty was signed, the French Foreign Minister suggested that discussions should take place about the conflict of jurisdictions between the Schuman Treaty organisations, on the one hand, and existing international controls over the German coal and steel industries, including the International Authority for the Ruhr, on the other. He further publicly expressed the French Government's view that the functions of the International Authority for the Ruhr should cease in so far as the Schuman High Authority will be in a position to exercise them.

There were a number of points in the Treaty which in His Majesty's Government's view required to be cleared up before a final decision on these questions could be taken, and His Majesty's Government therefore agreed to take part in exploratory discussions. Accordingly, a meeting of representatives of the United States, French and United Kingdom Governments took place in Paris on 21st May. His Majesty's Government are now considering their policy towards the future of the Allied controls in question in the light of the useful information obtained at these talks. I hope that a final decision will be reached very shortly and that as a result of this decision discussions with the other interested Powers can be resumed.

Mr. Macpherson

Can the right hon. Gentleman give the House an assurance that British interests will be sufficiently covered in the talks that are taking place, or are to take place, or was the opportunity of safeguarding those interests irretrievably lost when we declined to take part in the negotiations leading up to the formation of the plan?

Mr. Younger

I do not think that the latter suggestion is the case at all. We consider that we are still in a perfectly satisfactory position to safeguard British interests in this matter.