§ 13. Mr. Jayasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress has been made in the negotiations for a European Free Trade Area.
§ The Paymaster-General (Mr. Reginald Maudling)Much further work in analysing the problems and devising possible solutions has been done. The Inter-Governmental Committee has recently met in Paris and will meet again next week.
§ Mr. JayAs we are constantly reading in the Press that French opposition to the Free Trade Area is likely to wreck the whole plan, is not it time the Government made some statement to the House about what is going on and what the Government mean to do if the scheme collapses?
§ Mr. MaudlingI think there is some misunderstanding about this. The French have produced some proposals which they have put to their colleagues, the "Six". I understand they will emerge in the form of proposals from the six Governments. There is no proposal from the French Government as such before the Inter-Governmental Committee.
§ Mr. JayDo the Government propose to make a statement to the House and country soon about this matter?
§ Mr. MaudlingCertainly. As soon as we think it will help the course of negotiations.
§ Mr. CroninWill not the Paymaster-General at least agree that the French proposals are highly disadvantageous to the United Kingdom?
§ Mr. MaudlingI have just explained that we have not yet seen the French proposals. They have been put to their colleagues in the "Six", and not to me.