§ 14. Mr. Russellasked the President of the Board of Trade the chief products of French, Belgian and Dutch colonies which will have to be taken into consideration by the United Kingdom in its attitute to the proposed Common Market in considering the inclusion of those colonies in the plan for a European Free Trade Area; and if he will make a statement.
§ Sir D. EcclesBananas, coffee, cocoa, citrus fruits, vegetable oils, rubber, hardwood and cotton are the chief products. We are consulting the Governments of the Colonies on the problems raised, and I am not in a position to add to the Answers given to Questions by my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 26th February and 5th March.
§ Mr. RussellAs the inclusion of these territories puts a completely different complexion on the whole Common Market plan, will my right hon. Friend give an assurance that he will not enter into any commitments without first consulting the Colonies and obtaining their agreement?
§ Sir D. EcclesThat consultation is now taking place, and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has called a conference of colonial officials.
§ Sir P. AgnewWill my right hon. Friend give an assurance that the consideration of the primary products coming from these countries in no way prejudices his own declaration that British agriculture will be excluded from any considerations of this country going into the Common Market or the Free Trade Area?
§ Sir D. EcclesYes, Sir.
§ 18. Mr. Braineasked the President of the Board of Trade if he is now in possession of details of the tariff which the Messina countries propose to apply to products of their own colonial territories and to those of countries outside the Common Market area.
§ Sir D. EcclesI am not yet in a position to add to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend on 14th March.
§ Mr. BraineDoes my right hon. Friend appreciate that, while we know that the Messina countries are going to reduce their tariffs between themselves phased over a period of fifteen years, we have absolutely no information as to the speed with which tariffs will be raised against the produce of other countries, including our own Colonial Territories, that this is a matter of great concern to Commonwealth producers, and that the lack of such information is jeopardising the popularity in this country of our association with the Free Trade Area?
§ Sir D. EcclesI fully appreciate all that my hon. Friend has said. We want this information as soon as we can get it, and we understand that within a very few days the full text of the Treaty will be available.