HC Deb 20 April 1955 vol 540 cc163-5
5. Mr. Jay

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to what extent the findings of the Sixth Annual Report of the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation reflect the agreed views of the member Governments.

Mr. Turton

The Report as a whole has been unanimously approved by the Council of the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation.

Mr. Jay

Is the Minister aware that, according to the official summary of this Report sent to hon. Members by the Treasury, the conclusions of the Report are vehemently against what it calls the maintenance of rent control and other restrictive practices, and is he also aware of the Treasury summary that these conclusions are important because they represent the agreed views of the member Governments? Do we assume, therefore, that it is now the policy of the present Government to abolish rent control?

Mr. Turton

No. I have not got the passage to which the right hon. Gentleman refers, but the conclusions of this Report are summarised on page 176, where it states: The influence of Government policy on the improvement of the economic position of the United Kingdom must be stressed. It goes on in the next paragraph: But it is important to recognise that the expansion of activity over the past two years has been partly a recovery from a recession.

Mr. Jay

But is not that a very unsatisfactory answer? As I put this Question down to the Chancellor and it was transferred to the Foreign Office, should not the representative of the Foreign Office be able to answer it?

Mr. Turton

If the right hon. Gentleman had put a question on the Order Paper directed to rent control, I would have attempted to answer it. The right hon. Gentleman, however, asked me a general question on the Report, and I came provided with two copies of it. I have tried to help him by pointing out that this Report shows how the general improvement of the economic position of the United Kingdom is due to the policy of Her Majesty's Government.

Mr. Shinwell

Is it not strange that the hon. Gentleman cannot find a satisfactory reply in two copies of the Report?

Mr. Turton

Two volumes, not two copies.

Mr. Smithers

Is it not a fact that the policy reflected in the Report of the O.E.E.C. is one of the progressive removal of controls? Is it not also the fact that this policy has always made allowance for the domestic policies and the particular local difficulties of individual member States?

Mr. Turton

That is a very accurate statement.

Mr. Jay

Are we to infer from the totally unsatisfactory answer of the Minister that it is the intention of the Government to remove rent control but that they have not yet had the courage to inform the House of Commons or the country?

Mr. Turton

It would be very unwise of the right hon. Gentleman to draw that conclusion.