§ Q2. Mr. Hector Hughesasked the Prime Minister if he will state the number and nature of the communications he has received during the last two months from the Prime Ministers of the nations of the British Commonwealth on the subject of the Common Market.
§ The Prime MinisterAny communications of this kind which I might receive from other Commonwealth Prime Ministers would be confidential.
§ Mr. HughesIn view of the very great importance of the communications and the Prime Minister's replies to the solidarity of the British Commonwealth, 273 will he issue them in the form of a White Paper well in advance of the forth-coming Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference so that they can be fully considered by all members of the Commonwealth and by this Parliament before the Summer Recess?
§ The Prime MinisterI should point out that the communications are confidential. Nevertheless, there have been very close discussions. My right hon. Friend the Lord Privy Seal has been to two or three Commonwealth countries, as has the Commonwealth Secretary. We have had the good fortune to have here the Prime Minister of Australia and the Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand. That is on the Ministerial level. At the official level, there is the closest consultation all the time. It is not possible to publish the results of long discussions on highly technical subjects covering, as I say, 27 independent countries and 47 dependencies.
§ Mr. Biggs-DavisonConsidering the vital Commonwealth interests involved, would it not be true to say that in general these communications have been restrained and helpful? If so, is it not incumbent on those in the United Kingdom who have responsibility to speak with courtesy and restraint of Commonwealth partners who stood with us in 1940 when all our European allies had been struck down?
§ The Prime MinisterYes, of course. The discussions which we have had have been carried on with the greatest good will. People have said what they had to say, but I have enjoyed very much the discussions which I had. If my hon. Friend is referring to a statement made by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food,— [Laughter.]— by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour, then I think that I should say that he proposes to make a statement after Question Time.