HC Deb 25 January 1962 vol 652 cc400-1
Q2. Mr. Stonehouse

asked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his talks with Signor Fanfani; and to what extent these dealt with Great Britain's application to join the Common Market and the political implications of Great Britain's acceptance of the Treaty of Rome.

Q5. Mr. Rankin

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

The Prime Minister (Mr. Harold Macmillan)

I would refer the hon. Members to the communiqué which was published at the conclusion of the talks.

Mr. Stonehouse

Am I not entitled to more details than were contained in a rather empty communiqué? Is it not a fact that the Prime Minister assured Signor Fanfani that Britain would eventually accept complete political integration with the Six, but that this should not now be made known because the British public had not yet been conditioned to it?

The Prime Minister

It is a matter of courtesy that both sides should stick to the communiqué. That is the object of communiqués. I think that I might allow myself to go outside it to the point of saying that what the hon. Member suggested is not the case.

Mr. Rankin

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that I did not observe from the communiqué whether he discussed with Signor Fanfani the effect of the Common Market on Italian unemployment? While I accept the safeguards written into the transitional provisions, may I ask the Prime Minister whether he pointed out to the Italian Prime Minister that in Scotland in particular we have sufficient supplies of unemployed of our own, without accepting any further supplies from Italy?

The Prime Minister

I quite take the hon. Member's point, but I still think that it would be a breach of normal courtesy if I were to go beyond the communiqués which are issued generally on occasions of this kind.