§ 19. Mr. Walkerasked the President of the Board of Trade, in view of the fact that United Kingdom exports to the Commonwealth are £800 million greater than exports to the Common Market, and that between 1950 and 1960 United Kingdom exports to the Commonwealth rose by more than £440 million whilst exports to the Common Market countries rose by less than £280 million, if he will give priority to obtaining a Commonwealth trade conference to discuss methods of protecting and increasing Commonwealth trade before negotiating further with the European Economic Community.
§ Mr. ErrollNo, Sir. The Government's reasons for deciding to apply for membership of the E.E.C., provided that satisfactory terms could be negotiated, were fully explained in the Prime Minister's statement on 31st July of last year and in the debate on 2nd and 3rd August.
§ Mr. WalkerIs my right hon. Friend aware that if the trends of the fifties, which were very favourable to Europe and unfavourable to the Commonwealth continue during the next decade, our exports to the Commonwealth in 1970 will be £1,900 million whereas to the Common Market only £800 million? Would not it be a good idea to discuss with the Commonwealth methods of increasing this figure even more, so that if certain methods were agreed on we could in our negotiations with Europe take into account future prospects of Commonwealth trade instead of just present Commonwealth trade?
§ Mr. ErrollAs regards Commonwealth trade, our application to join the Common Market does not mean that we are any the less interested in developing Commonwealth trade, but rather the reverse. We are constantly in touch with the Commonwealth capitals on ways and means of increasing our trade with them, and this process should be able to continue both now and in the future.
§ Mr. ShinwellDoes the right hon. Gentleman deny the accuracy of the figures contained in the Question, and are these figures not really significant? Do not they indicate that it is far better to rely on the Commonwealth than take 190 the chances contained in associating with the European Economic Community?
§ Mr. ErrollNo, Sir. I assure the right hon. Gentleman that the figures contained in the Question are substantially correct, but they do not tell the whole story.
§ Mr. Biggs-DavisonAs my right hon. Friend said that our application to join the Common Market does not mean any reduced interest in Commonwealth trade, can we take it that Her Majesty's Government will resist any attempt to include us in an agreement which would mean discriminating in favour of Continental European countries against overseas Commonwealth countries?
§ Mr. ErrollMy hon. Friend knows that negotiations are in progress, and so I am not prepared to answer that question in any detail.
§ Mr. JayIs not that really a rather evasive answer? Cannot the right hon. Gentleman at least assure us that he is not one of those people who regard Commonwealth trade and the principle of free entry of Commonwealth goods into the United Kinkdom as things lightly to be sacrificed?
§ Mr. ErrollWe have always made it plain that we are determined to get a square deal for the Commonwealth, and we are also interested in making sure that our exports go to Commonwealth countries as well.