HC Deb 15 July 1958 vol 591 cc1007-8
49. Mr. J. Hynd

asked the Prime Minister whether Her Majesty's Government will now give further consideration to the desirability of proposing full British membership of the Euratom project.

The Prime Minister

Her Majesty's Government have given careful consideration to this country's relations with Euratom since that organisation came into being. We have accredited Sir William Meiklereid to the Euratom Commission and have opened discussions for an agreement for co-operation between the Commission and Her Majesty's Government. I am confident that arrangements on these lines will result in a close and fruitful collaboration.

We also have bilateral agreements with most of the individual member countries of Euratom, and they are fellow members with us of the European Nuclear Energy Agency set up by the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation.

Mr. Hynd

I hardly think that answers the question whether the Government will give further consideration to full membership, but are the Government really surprised at the difficulties about the Free Trade Area when this Euratom project involves none of the classic arguments about Commonwealth trade or the load of the farmers of this country, and could not he consider whether an offer to join the Euratom project as a full member would give the necessary impetus to Europe to make possible the realisation of the free trade project?

The Prime Minister

No, Sir, but I think, at this stage at any rate, that opening discussions for the fullest co-operation will have the approval of the hon. Gentleman and we will see how they proceed.

Sir S. Summers

Will my right hon. Friend bear in mind that there may be very grave objections, and indeed handicaps, to British industrialists if full membership of Euratom were contemplated by the Government?

The Prime Minister

Yes, Sir. That is why, in the first instance at any rate, we proposed to open discussions for co-operation.

Mr. Peart

Will the Prime Minister also reject emphatically the idea that we should go in for full membership of Euratom and agree that we should concentrate on leadership in O.E.E.C., and also consider the possibility of creating a Commonwealth Atomic Energy Organisation?

The Prime Minister

We explained on 4th March that there would be great difficulty for us in accepting full membership, but I think there will be general approval that we should open these discussions for an agreement on co-operation in such a way as to be of general advantage without disadvantage.