§ 56. Mr. Swinglerasked the Lord Privy Seal what steps he is taking to obtain full information about the course of negotiations between Common Market member-States on films policy, in view of the effects which proposals submitted to the Brussels High Commission would have on the prospects of co-production between British and other European producers.
§ The Joint Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Peter Thomas)The United Kingdom Delegation to the European Communities is in regular contact with the Commission of the European Economic Community and is able to obtain extensive information on problems and developments affecting the film industry as on other matters of interest to this country.
§ Mr. SwinglerI thank the hon. Gentleman for coming along to answer a Question put down, I think correctly, to the Board of Trade. Is he aware that the recent proposals made to the Brussels High Commission show good prospects of harmonising Government policies on films between this country and other countries in Western Europe and, therefore, of ending the terribly long delay in the negotiation of co-production treaties? Will the hon. Gentleman's Department give a helping hand to the Board of Trade to try to overcome this terrible procrastination and get on with the job of negotiating co-production film treaties?
§ Mr. ThomasI assure the hon. Gentleman that my Department will give the Board of Trade every assistance in this matter as it does in every other matter of mutual concern.
§ Mr. SwinglerBut does not the Board of Trade need gingering up?
§ Mr. BellengerIt seems that we have now come to the end of the Questions on the Order Paper. I do not know whether we should congratulate you, Mr. Speaker, on having achieved that, but may I remind you, Sir, that in days gone by, but not so very long ago, when Questions finished before 3.30, your predecessors in the Chair then called on hon. Members to ask the Questions which they had not asked earlier.
§ Mr. SpeakerWhat happened in days before the war, I think, was that we started to go round again, but I am not sure whether we have not abandoned the right hon. Gentleman's point on practice.
§ Sir C. OsborneIs it possible to know why so many hon. Members opposite were not in their places to ask their Questions today?
§ Mr. SpeakerIf we are not to debate the Beeching proposals again, may we try having a second go round? Mr. Charles Mapp. Question No. 5.
§ Mr. P. WilliamsOn a point of order.
§ Mr. SpeakerI have called the hon. Member for Oldham, East (Mr. Mapp). He had the misfortune not to be here in the first place.
§ Mr. P. WilliamsIs it possible for the Board of Trade to give a satisfactory answer to the earlier Question of my hon. Friend the Member for Louth (Sir C. Osborne)?
§ Mr. SpeakerWhat will happen now is that I will call Mr. Harold Wilson to ask the business question.
Later—
§ Mr. SpeakerMight I be allowed to say something. I am afraid that in the course of some frivolous exchanges I said something to the right hon. Member for Bassetlaw (Mr. Bellenger) that might be dangerous. I have made some inquiries since. It is fully twenty years since we tried any kind of second round business, and Members and Ministers are entitled to rely now by custom on it not happening. I apologise to the House for starting a dangerous hare in a moment of frivolity.