HC Deb 07 June 1962 vol 661 cc658-60
Q3 and 05. Mr. Wyatt

asked the Prime Minister (1) if, in his conversations with President de Gaulle, he discussed the possibility of constructing a Channel Tunnel;

(2) what reply he gave to President de Gaulle's request, made during their recent conversations, to share nuclear secrets with the United Kingdom.

Q6. Mr. Zilliacus

asked the Prime Minister what agreement he reached with President de Gaulle on the subject of Great Britain's willingness to renounce Commonwealth preferences and acquiesce in the formation of a French nuclear striking force as part of the price for entering the Common Market.

The Prime Minister

I would refer the hon. Members to the Answer which I gave to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Govan (Mr. Rankin) on 5th June.

Mr. Wyatt

First, will the Prime Minister take the matter of a Channel tunnel very seriously, because, whether we go into the Common Market or not, it is a way of providing much cheaper transport costs for our exports? We shall need everything that we can get in helping us in competition. Secondly, even if the right hon. Gentleman is not willing to say what was his answer to President de Gaulle when he asked him to share nuclear secrets, will he say what will be the Government's policy? Is he going to say to the French Government that they will have to wait and find out for themselves, or is he hoping that there will be a general agreement internationally which will obviate the need for this?

The Prime Minister

Perhaps the hon. Gentleman will table a further Question to the Minister of Transport on his first point. On the second point, these are large questions of policy which I could not possibly deal with in question and answer.

Mr. Zilliacus

Is the Prime Minister aware that semi-official statements from Paris have alleged categorically that the Prime Minister did agree in his conversations to give up Commonwealth Preferences after the transition period? In view of the anxiety which these stories have aroused, will he give an assurance that this is not so?

The Prime Minister

I think that I had much better stick to the communiqué, for the reasons I have explained. All these matters were debated yesterday and can be debated today.

Mr. Gaitskell

Could the Prime Minister, without infringing any diplomatic niceties or giving away military secrets, say whether he and/or President de Gaulle favour the tunnel or the bridge?

The Prime Minister

That is so delicate a question that I think I must, like Agag, tread very delicately, either underground or overground.

Mr. Warbey

On the question of a French nuclear striking force, as the Prime Minister virtually admitted on Tuesday that he carefully refrained from raising this matter in his conversations with President de Gaulle, is not this a case of the dog which did not bark, and was not the Prime Minister's failure to bark on this occasion an acquiescence in what President de Gaulle wants to do?

The Prime Minister

I cannot accept any of the implications or innuendos of the hon. Gentleman's question.

Sir T. Moore

Will my right hon. Friend bear in mind that we want neither the tunnel nor the bridge and that we are perfectly satisfied with the Channel?