§ Q3. Sir J. Lucasasked the Prime Minister if a vote will be taken on the Common Market at the Conference of Commonwealth Prime Ministers; and whether this will be recorded.
§ The Prime MinisterThe procedure at meetings of Commonwealth Prime Ministers is decided by the Prime Ministers collectively. As I said on 10th April in reply to the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Clackmannan and East Stirlingshire (Mr. Woodburn), it has always been our rule at these meetings to exchange views, to hold discussions, but not to reach decisions binding on the Governments of the Commonwealth.
§ Sir J. LucasWhile I recognise the propriety of that statement, may I ask whether, as we are eventually to vote on entry into the Common Market, we shall be told of the gist of the opinions or just that there have been useful conversations?
§ The Prime MinisterI have noticed in practice that there has been no undue lack of publicity about the views expressed.
§ Mr. GaitskellWill the Prime Minister make plain before the Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference what it is exactly that is being discussed there? Can he give us an assurance that, if the Lord Privy Seal is unable to present to the House of Commons before the Recess the provisional outline agreement he has in mind, any such agreement will be published and made available to the public as soon as it is made, and if necessary before the Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference?
§ The Prime MinisterI should like to consider the precise situation which we reach at the end of the month, but I can certainly give the House an assurance. Hon. Members know that Her Majesty's Government are bound by the Resolution passed by both Houses on 3rd August and we would not hesitate to 1514 recall the House for any reason if it was necessary to do so during the Summer Recess.
§ Mr. GaitskellWill the Prime Minister clear this up a little further? Is he aware that last Friday morning there were reports in most newspapers that in the view of the Government it was doubtful whether full agreement would be reached by the end of July and that Parliament would have to be recalled? Can he say what the position is and when a fuller statement is likely to be made to the House?
§ The Prime MinisterI do not know quite what might be the position at the end of this particular stage of the negotiations at the end of July. I do not think "full agreement" is likely to be reached in that sense, but there will be a review of the stage of the negotiations and discussion with the Prime Ministers. Then we shall have to decide what is the best course to follow.
§ Mr. GaitskellI am sorry to press this, but what I am concerned about is when a statement is to be made either to the House or to the country. Is it anticipated that the Lord Privy Seal will be making such a statement before the Recess? If not, when is it to be made and can we be assured that the public in general will be aware of the problems at issue before the Prime Ministers' Conference meets?
§ The Prime MinisterI cannot be quite sure because it depends on the progress of the negotiations.
§ Mr. RidsdaleWill my right hon. Friend agree that the outcome at the Prime Ministers' Conference is likely to be dependent on the position of temperate foodstuffs? Is he aware that a temporary solution up to 1970 with a doubtful political let-out after that date are terms which, in my opinion, would not be acceptable to the vast majority in the country, let alone the Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference?
§ The Prime MinisterThese are all matters for negotiation. What I am trying to deal with is that we are going to try to be in a position to present to the Prime Ministers' Conference the state of the negotiations as they may be at that time.
§ Mr. GrimondWhen the Prime Minister says that he would not in certain circumstances hesitate to recall the House, can he say specifically whether if the heads of agreement are not known by the time the House rises but are known during August or September he will definitely recall the House?
§ The Prime MinisterIf that should occur the next thing would be the Prime Ministers' Conference. After that it might be necessary to recall the House.
Mr. H. WilsonWould the Prime Minister not take this point, that if the House were sitting it is clear that we would have the normal report from the Lord Privy Seal after a visit to Brussels which we always get? Since we may get a delay of a week or fortnight or possibly longer and then have the accident that the House is not sitting, would not the Prime Minister agree in those circumstances that the country, if not the House, is entitled to have the same degree of information on these vital negotiations that we would have got if the House had been sitting? Would he agree to do that? Furthermore, will he recognise—because this is our experience—that whenever there have been talks in Brussels, there have been substantial leakages to the Continental Press, not only the British Press, about what is going on. It is vital to have an authoritative statement from our Government representative in the Brussels talks. If he cannot recall the House before the Prime Ministers' Conference, will he arrange that we should get a statement at least as full as the Lord Privy Seal would have given to the House if the House had been sitting?
§ The Prime MinisterI think the House has been broadly satisfied with the progress reports—if that is the right expression—which the Lord Privy Seal has been giving. I hope that will be possible before the House rises, but that is a different thing from the whole agreement itself; it is a progress report about how we stand.