HC Deb 20 April 1955 vol 540 cc165-6
6. Mr. Hector Hughes

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will instruct the permanent representative of Her Majesty's Government at the Council of Europe to support the proposals tabled there by the hon. Member for Lincoln which call for an assembly at which United States and Canadian parliamentarians could meet with European parliamentarians to debate common problems.

Mr. Turton

The hon. Member for Lincoln did no more than sketch out alternative methods of achieving closer contact between the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe and members of the Canadian Parliament and United States Congress. This report will be discussed by the Consultative Assembly. We shall of course consider most carefully any recommendations which the Assembly may eventually make to the member Governments.

Mr. Hughes

But will the Government support the proposals, and does not the Minister realise that they are limited to problems which are common to the democracies? Is it not a negation of democracy to deny an opportunity of discussing them in this way?

Mr. Turton

What the hon. Member for Lincoln has done is to sketch out certain alternative possibilities. These will be discussed by the Consultative Assembly. When the Assembly has reached a decision upon them, Her Majesty's Government will carefully consider its recommendations.