HC Deb 08 December 1960 vol 631 cc1441-2
48. Mr. Emrys Hughes

asked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his official visit to Italy.

50. Mr. Rankin

asked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the outcome of his conversations with Signor Fanfani.

51. Mr. Healey

asked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his talks with the Prime Minister of Italy.

The Prime Minister

I would refer hon. Members to the Written Answer which I gave on 29th November to the hon. Member for Pembroke (Mr. Donnelly).

Mr. Hughes

Is the Prime Minister aware that his assertion that we are all God's children has been received with great interest all over the world? Can he assure us that this conversion to Christianity is permanent? Does it represent the policy of Her Majesty's Government? Also, does he include in God's children the Chinese? Would he not agree that these God's children should be invited into the family of the United Nations?

The Prime Minister

I was asked a Question about the discussions I had with the Prime Minister of Italy. That was answered very fully in a Written Answer by me to the hon. Member for Pembroke on 29th November. With regard to the hon. Gentleman's supplementary question—I always enjoy them—if he thinks about it, I think that he will agree that this one was not in such good taste as he sometimes shows.

Mr. Rankin

I noted that, according to the reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Pembroke (Mr. Donnelly), the Prime Minister discussed with the Italian Prime Minister the need for solidarity in N.A.T.O. Does that mean that there is a lack of solidarity in N.A.T.O. at the present time, and does this arise because of the overwhelming economic and military power of America?

The Prime Minister

No, Sir. That would be a quite wrong conclusion to draw. Every organisation, however—even organisations that are most widely founded—sometimes requires efforts to keep it in good order and in good shape.

Mr. Healey

In view of the fact that there is only three weeks left of the six months' breathing space offered us in June before the common external tariff of the Common Market comes into being, can the Prime Minister tell us whether, in his conversations with Mr. Fanfani, he reached any basis on which negotiations between the Six and the Seven can now take place, or did he completely waste his time on this issue?

The Prime Minister

The second part of that supplementary question is in the usual form shown by the hon. Member by way of elevating his rather minor importance to something greater than it really is. In regard to the first part of the supplementary question, he will see the answer in the second part of the communiqué to which I have referred.

Mr. Healey

The Prime Minister must not be so sensitive about his position in this House. Can he, nevertheless, give the House some details of where the negotiations between the Six and the Seven now stand, in view of the fact that he has had conversations on this matter with the leaders of a large number of other countries which are involved in the negotiations?

The Prime Minister

That is a quite separate issue. If a Question about it is put on the Order Paper, I will answer it.