DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER OF NEW ZEALAND (TALKS) (Hansard, 29 May 1962)

§ Q3. Mr. Healey
asked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his talks with the Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand.

§ The Prime Minister
Some of my colleagues and I have had a preliminary talk with the Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand. There will be further talks during Mr. Marshall's visit. These discussions will, of course, be confidential.

§ Mr. Healey
Is the Prime Minister aware that there is strong feeling on both sides of the House, in view of the great sacrifices made by New Zealand on behalf of this country in two world wars and its exceptional dependence upon exports to this country, that we should not join the Common Market without cast-iron guarantees that New Zealand's trade with Europe as a whole, including Britain, will not be disadvantageously affected? In particular, can the Prime Minister assure the House that Her Majesty's Government will not agree to any transitional arrangements for New Zealand's trade if we join the Common Market without solid and clear arrangements that at the end of the transitional period New Zealand's trade will be maintained by a permanent agreement at the existing level at least?

§ The Prime Minister
I do not want to be drawn into the details of these negotiations, which are just beginning. I am sure that the hon. Member would feel it would be unwise for me to do so. On the question about Mr. Marshall, we suggested that the Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand should visit this country because, although we have been in the closest touch with officials all through, we thought that a visit from him would be satisfactory, and it is exactly these questions that we are discussing with him.

§ Mr. Healey
I do not want to draw the right hon. Gentleman into too much detail on this, but may I ask whether he can assure the House that Her Majesty's Government will not enter into arrangements with the Common Market countries which do not guarantee New Zealand, to quote the Lord Privy Seal, at 1156 least outlets in Europe as a whole comparable with those which it now enjoys in Britain?

§ The Prime Minister
Had I not answered the first question I would not have been so well placed to answer the second. I think that it would be wise for me to stand by the general declaration Which Her Majesty's Government made on these matters and allow the negotiations to proceed.

§ Mr. P. Walker
Is my right hon. Friend aware that the Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand stated last week that he was not willing for the life of his country to be fixed for seven years or any other transitional period by the Common Market? Will my right hon. Friend assure the House and take the opportunity of confirming to the Commonwealth that we will not subject the life of Commonwealth trade to a transitional period?

§ The Prime Minister
All these matters must be considered as a whole. I repeat the broad declaration of the Government and I still say that it is better to see how the negotiations work out and whether or not satisfactory arrangements cannot be made.

§ Mr. Snow
While it is generally agreed that the overall trade of New Zealand should not be adversely affected by these negotiations, may I ask whether it would not be desirable to suggest to this distinguished gentleman that Canada is trying to find markets which would be a safeguard to that country and that New Zealand, by virtue of its geographical position, might also well take that sort of obvious step?

§ The Prime Minister
I am grateful for that suggestion. I think that the New Zealand Government are pursuing that, quite apart from any Common Market question, because it is obvious that, quite apart from whether Britain does or does not enter the Common Market, this market itself cannot absorb an indefinite amount. Therefore, it is obviously to their advantage to find other markets as well as the British market.

§ Mr. Woodburn
If binding agreements of any kind are made, would they not be binding on both sides, and is the Commonwealth prepared to tie itself indefinitely to agreements of this kind?

§ The Prime Minister
I think that it would be wiser to let the negotiations proceed and let the Government see what conclusions they reach and put forward their proposals, should they decide to do so, and let the House discuss them as a whole.