HC Deb 03 April 1962 vol 657 cc208-12
Q3. Mr. Healey

asked the Prime Minister whether, in view of representations made by the Canadian Prime Minister to the Lord Privy Seal, he will now call a conference of Commonwealth Prime Ministers this year.

Q4. Mr. Turton

asked the Prime Minister what recent request he has received for the convening of a Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference to discuss the problems of Great Britain's negotiations with the European Economic Community; and what reply he has sent.

The Prime Minister

I am in communication with other Commonwealth Prime Ministers about a suitable date for a Prime Ministers' Meeting, and I shall make a statement as soon as I am in a position to do so.

Mr. Healey

While welcoming the Prime Minister's belated surrender to pressure on this issue, may I ask him, in view of the very buoyant opinion he expressed at Stockton last night about the prospect of an early agreement between Britain and the Six, to assure the House that he, on behalf of the Government, is pressing for a Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference before the Summer Recess so that the House can. if it so desires, debate its findings?

The Prime Minister

I cannot yet give a date of the Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference. It is a very difficult task to fit in a date which suits what are now, I think, at least twelve Prime Ministers with all their different commitments.

Mr. Turton

Will my right hon. Friend make it quite clear that the pledge he gave last July—that there would be no agreement with the Community until after there had been full consultation with the Commonwealth—still stands? Will he make it plain that when he said last night that he was playing for high stakes he did not in any way imply any sacrifice of the Commonwealth for Europe?

The Prime Minister

No Sir, if my right hon. Friend read the whole text of what I said, he would see that it was exactly as I have said over and over again in the House. What I was rebuking was a party which said that it would be prepared to accept a European agreement without even bothering at all about the Commonwealth or about British agriculture.

Mr. Shinwell

Assuming that the Commonwealth Prime Ministers object to having anything to do with the European Economic Community, would that make any difference to the Prime Minister? Did he not indicate in his speech yesterday a firm resolve to enter the Common Market, and would not a meeting of the Commonwealth Prime Ministers be just a façade?

The Prime Minister

We have always made it clear that we would hold this meeting to discuss and consult with our Commonwealth friends at the right moment. The purpose of the messages I have sent out is to try to arrange for a meeting which, as I have said, has to suit both what we think is a good moment and, also, has to suit the many Prime Ministers of the Commonwealth with their very many different commitments.

Mr. Biggs-Davison

Without pressing the Prime Minister for a date, may I ask him whether a conference of Commonwealth Prime Ministers will be held before the point of no return is reached in the negotiations with the European Economic Community?

The Prime Minister

Yes, Sir, but the whole problem is that we have to make reasonable progress with the negotiations in order to have a fruitful and effective conference.

Mr. H. Wilson

We are not quite sure about this. Is it now the Prime Minister's position that he will not put a proposition to the House for entry into the Common Market until after a Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference has accepted, in broad terms, the proposals which will be put to the House? If so, will the right hon. Gentleman explain why he led his troops into the Lobby last July against a Motion in exactly those terms which we tabled?

The Prime Minister

First of all, the right hon. Gentleman, in his usual manner, puts words into my mouth and then tries to make a false deduction from what I have said.

Hon. Members

Answer.

Mr. H. Wilson rose

Mr. Speaker

I am very much concerned about how much time has been spent on this Question. I had called Mr. Holt.

Mr. Holt

Is the Prime Minister aware that we greatly welcomed the revelation last night that he has real enthusiasm for going into Europe? Is he aware that this sign of enthusiasm, when it is understood on the Continent, will be a great help in obtaining for him the best and most acceptable terms? Might I ask him if he is now satisfied that the Conservative deposit at Stockton has been saved?

The Prime Minister

If I may humbly say so, that does not explain the attitude of the hon. Gentleman's party, which wished us to accept these agreements without even taking the trouble of bothering about the Commonwealth or British agriculture.

Mr. H. Wilson

Could I now have an answer to the question I put, an answer that hon. Members on both sides of the House require from the Prime Minister? Will he or will he not give a clear assurance that the Government will not put a proposition for our entry into the Common Market until there has been a Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference and the terms of the proposition have been broadly agreed by that conference? Yes or no?

The Prime Minister

Again the right hon. Gentleman poses his own question and asks "Yes or no." This is a very old trick in the House which the right hon. Gentleman performs with great skill. Our position has been perfectly clear all through this question. We will continue the negotiations at Brussels up to a point where there is a sign that there is reasonable prospect of the negotiations being fruitful or not. There will then, I hope, be a Prime Ministers' Conference. It will then be our duty, having regard to what may have happened at Brussels or at the Conference, to put our proposals to the House.

Several Hon. Members rose

Mr. Speaker

I think we should try to get on.

Mr. Gaitskell rose

Mr. Speaker

We are doing rather poorly with these Questions.

Mr. Gaitskell

On a point of order. I am sure that you appreciate, Mr. Speaker, as will all hon. Members, that this is an extremely important matter on which differing views are held. I would have thought it only reasonable for us to attempt to secure an answer from the Prime Minister on the extremely important issue as to exactly when the Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference will take place and how much attention the Prime Minister proposes to devote to it.

Mr. Speaker

The right hon. Gentleman will understand my difficulty, because he is sometimes, I think, among the complainers, in the nicest possible way, about our progress with Questions. Nobody is disputing the extreme importance of this matter. I do not suppose that anyone would dispute the extreme importance of other matters which follow relating to nuclear tests and the like. I really think that we should make better progress.

Mr. H. Wilson

On a point of order. In view of the unsatisfactory nature of the Prime Minister's refusal to give that assurance, I beg to give notice that we on this side of the House will raise this matter in debate at the earliest possible opportunity.