§ 4. Mr. Warbeyasked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the outcome of the discussions with the Commonwealth countries on the possibility of Great Britain entering the Common Market, and on the steps which he now proposes to take.
§ 6. Mr. A. Hendersonasked the Prime Minister whether he will make a further statement on the policy of Her Majesty's Government in relation to the Common Market following the visits of Cabinet Ministers to Commonwealth countries.
§ 8. Mr. Doughtyasked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the views communicated to Her Majesty's Government by the other countries of the European Free Trade Association as to the desirability of Great Britain joining the European Common Market.
§ 9. Mr. Biggs-Davisonasked the Prime Minister whether he will make a statement on the Ministerial consultations with Commonwealth Governments about relations with the European Economic Community.
§ 10. Mr. Holtasked the Prime Minister, following the recent statements of Commonwealth leaders on the question of Great Britain's entry into the European Economic Community, if he will announce forthwith Her Majesty's Government's decision to open formal negotiations with the European Economic Community.
§ 11. Sir C. Osborneasked the Prime Minister, in view of the fact that the French President has officially refused to consider any of the concessions, in relation to the Rome Treaty regarding the European Free Trade Association, agriculture and the Commonwealth, which are necessary in order to enable the United Kingdom to join the Common Market, whether he will discontinue consultations with Commonwealth Governments on this matter; and if he will make a statement.
§ 13. Mr. Sorensenasked the Prime Minister if he will make available to the House the evidence advanced to his Ministerial colleagues by Commonwealth Governments concerning the immediate and ultimate economic consequences to the Commonwealth countries if the United Kingdom joined the Common Market; what assurances were given to those Governments in respect of this; and whether any Commonwealth Government made any proposal for the substantial improvement of trade and commerce between its own country and the United Kingdom.
§ The Prime MinisterAs I said in reply to a Question on 13th July, I hope to make a statement on these matters before the House rises. The House will understand that the Government must first hear the reports of the Ministers who visited the various Commonwealth countries, and discuss the whole question in the light of these reports.
§ Mr. SpeakerThere was so much noise that I did not hear. Might I ask the Prime Minister whether he was answering more than one Question?
§ The Prime MinisterMr. Speaker, I should have said that, with permission, I would answer Questions Nos. 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 13 with Question No. 4.
§ Mr. WarbeyIs it not already manifest that the Government's travelling salesmen have returned with virtually empty order books? Will the Prime Minister say how many of the dozen or so Commonwealth countries visited have shown positive enthusiasm for Britain's entry into the Common Market?
§ The Prime MinisterI think that the hon. Gentleman has given a quite false account of these very valuable discussions. If the hon. Gentleman's comments came from any other quarter I would pay more attention to them.
§ Mr. DoughtyWill the Prime Minister, when making his statement, deal in detail with the views of the individual Commonwealth nations, and not make a general statement? With regard to Question No. 8 which deals with the European Free Trade Association and not with the Commonwealth, will the Prime Minister remember that we owe a duty 1057 to those countries who have gone in with us to see that they come along with us into the Common Market? If we do not succeed in the Common Market, we can form a stronger association with them and possibly with the Commonwealth as well.
§ The Prime MinisterOn the first part of the supplementary question, perhaps my hon. and learned Friend will await my statement. With regard to the second part, we have all through been in the closest touch with the E.F.T.A. members, and indeed we had a meeting on this very subject only a few weeks ago.
§ Mr. Biggs-DavisonWhile agreeing with what my hon. and learned Friend the Member for Surrey, East (Mr. Doughty) said about E.F.T.A., may I ask the Prime Minister whether he will respond to the challenge so forcibly issued to this colleagues by the Commonwealth Governments and give new priority to the expansion of Commonwealth trade, with the aim of a Commonwealth freer trade asociation able to associate with Continental Europe, and will he therefore keep in mind Mr. Diefenbaker's call, echoed from Pakistan and elsewhere, for a Commonwealth Prime Minister' s conference?
§ The Prime MinisterThese are all relevant questions. My hon. Friend will remember the offer that we made to Canada two or three years ago.
§ Mr. GrimondCan the Prime Minister clear up one point? As the Common Market has been growing for some years, can the Prime Minister tell us when the Commonwealth was first consulted about our relations with it?
§ The Prime MinisterThe hon. Gentleman will remember that the first effort we made was a long negotiation—which at one time looked hopeful—for the formation of a European Free Trade Area. That very nearly succeeded. I do not regret that negotiation. I think that it was well worth undertaking. It was only when it broke down that we had to consider the situation resulting.
§ Mr. M. FootWill the Prime Minister give a guarantee that there will be not merely a statement on this subject before the House rises for the Recess, but an opportunity for a full debate on it? 1058 Would not it be wrong to have a statement on which only questions could be put to the right hon. Gentleman?
§ The Prime MinisterThat is another matter.
§ Mr. A. HendersonIn view of the statement made this morning by the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations that there was a likelihood of a high-powered Commonwealth conference being held, may I ask the Prime Minister whether that has been considered by the Government?
§ The Prime MinisterI do not understand that the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations made any such statement.
§ Sir L. Ungoed-ThomasWill the right hon. Gentleman admit what is obvious to everybody else, that the purpose of these visits to the Commonwealth was to sell the Common Market idea rather than to obtain the views of the Commonwealth? Will the Prime Minister do two things before he enters into any negotiations with the Common Market? First, will he have a meeting of the Commonwealth Prime Ministers so that they can all together, jointly, discuss the political as well as the economic implications of the Common Market? Secondly, will be enable this House to have a debate on the subject before he enters into any negotiations?
§ The Prime MinisterWith regard to the first part of the supplementary question, the object of these visits was to consult and to explain, and I think that it would have been a great mistake not to have done that. I think that they have been very valuable. In the light of them I will make a statement, and in the light of that statement the House must decide what it wishes.
§ Sir L. Ungoed-ThomasWill the right hon. Gentleman answer the last part of my supplementary question?
§ Mr. GaitskellReverting to the question of a debate, as the Chancellor of the Exchequer is to make a very important statement next week, following which I imagine some opportunity for debate is bound to be provided, will the Prime Minister consider whether it would be 1059 convenient to incorporate the statement on the Common Market with the statement on the Commonwealth visits?
§ The Prime MinisterIt might be convenient to the Opposition, but I do not think that it would be at all a good thing to mix up two quite separate subjects.
§ Mr. GaitskellDoes the Prime Minister really regard the subjects as totally separate? If he refuses to deal with the matter in the way I have suggested, will he give a guarantee that there will be an opportunity for the House to discuss this matter before we rise?
§ The Prime MinisterThat is not a matter for me, but we will take into account the wishes of the House.
5. Mr. H. Wilsonasked the Prime Minister if he will now publish a White Paper setting out the main paints raised in discussions between Commonwealth Governments and the Ministers who visited them to discuss the problems which would be raised by British entry into the Common Market.
§ 7. Mr. Doughtyasked the Prime Minister if, after the return of the Ministers now visiting Commonwealth countries, he will issue a White Paper giving the views expressed by those countries on the question as to whether Great Britain should join the European Common Market.
§ 14. Mr. Emrys Hughesasked the Prime Minister if he will publish the detailed observations of the Commonwealth Governments visited by the various representatives of Her Majesty's Government on the question of the Common Market.
§ The Prime MinisterI do not think that it would be right to publish a White Paper giving an account of private discussions between British Ministers and Commonwealth Ministers. I am, however, arranging for all agreed communiqués issued to be published together.
Mr. WilsonIs the Prime Minister not aware that in addition to the agreed communiqués a great deal has been put out in the various Commonwealth countries in newspapers? Is the right hon. Gentleman not yet aware that this is a vital decision one way or the other for the whole country, for the whole nation, 1060 and for the whole Commonwealth? Will he stop treating this as though it were a private thing to be decided at a country house party?
§ The Prime MinisterThe second part of the supplementary is quite worthy of the right hon. Gentleman. With regard to the first part, whatever newspapers may say, I still hold the view—perhaps it is old-fashioned—that one should not put out statements about private discussions with Commonwealth Prime Ministers.
§ Mr. DoughtyIs the Prime Minister-aware that if he makes a statement to the House it will receive the same amount of publicity as the White Paper will receive?
§ Mr. Emrys HughesIs the Prime Minister aware that there has been considerable criticism in the Canadian Press and also in our Press that he has become entirely subservient to the strategic policy of Mr. Kennedy and the United States of America? Can the Prime Minister assure us that he has not succumbed to pressure from President Kennedy on the Common Market?
§ The Prime MinisterWhatever may be the hon. Gentleman's views about that, and of course he is well-informed, it is certainly not the view of the American Press.
§ Mr. P. WilliamsIs my right hon. Friend aware that when the Conservative Party took office ten years ago 50 per cent. of our exports went to the Commonwealth, whereas today the figure is only 40 per cent.? This is an unfortunate situation, and it is not enough to cast away as an aside, as my right hon. Friend did a few minutes ago, a remark about an offer made to Canada a few, years ago. What is now needed is a Commonwealth Prime Ministers' conference to bring together Commonwealth trade interests and to promote them.
§ The Prime MinisterThat is another issue, but I think that the broad picture which we have to take into account is that for the maximisation of world trade the growth of the wealth and strength of Britain is of Commonwealth interest.
§ Mr. ShinwellIn view of the criticism that comes from both sides of the House, 1061 the criticism in sections of the Press, and criticism from Commonwealth countries and elsewhere, does not the Prime Minister think that he might display a little common sense and abandon the whole idea?
§ The Prime MinisterPerhaps the right hon. Gentleman, with his natural courtesy, will be good enough to await the statement that I propose to make.
§ Sir D. Walker-SmithWill my right hon. Friend be good enough to see that one way or another the House is made aware not only of the reactions of the Commonwealth to the possibility of Britain joining the Common Market, but of their reactions to any proposals which Ministers may have put before them for the review and revision of the Ottawa Agreement and the Commonwealth trading arrangements so as to make them fully effective in the context and conditions of 1961?
§ The Prime MinisterOf course, that is relevant to this issue.
§ Mr. SpeakerMr. Gourlay—Question No. 12.
§ Sir C. OsborneMr. Speaker, may I ask Question No. 11?
§ The Prime MinisterIt has been answered.
§ Sir C. OsborneI was not aware that it had been answered. Unfortunately I was not called to ask a supplementary question to the Answer to a lot of Questions, and that is why I thought that my Question had not been answered. May I ask this supplementary question—[HON.MEMBERS: "No."]
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder: This is my fault. Might I ask the Prime Minister whether Question No. 11 was answered, and if so, with which Questions?
§ The Prime MinisterMr. Speaker, it was answered with Questions Nos. 4, 6, 8, 9, 10 and 13.
§ Mr. SpeakerThen I apologise. The mistake is mine. I cannot save the matter for the Hon Member. I am afraid.
§ Sir C. OsborneMay I ask a supplementary question now?
§ Mr. SpeakerI am afraid not.