HC Deb 13 June 1966 vol 729 cc1027-9
38 and 39. Mr. Higgins

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (1) whether Her Majesty's Government's notes to the Governments of France and Italy concerning the European Launcher Development Organisation notify the intention to withdraw from the Organisation; and what consideration has been given to whether such withdrawal is compatible with the terms of the treaty;

(2) whether Her Majesty's Government's notes to the Governments of France and Italy concerning the European Launcher Development Organisation only notify withdrawal from participation in the European Launcher Development Organisation's programme; and what consideration has been given to whether such withdrawal is compatible with the terms of the treaty.

Mr. M. Stewart

The aide-mémoire delivered to our European Launcher Development Organisation partners on the 3rd June did not notify them of our intention to withdraw from the Organisation. What it stated was that we felt unable to take any further part in finan- cing the European Launcher Development Organisation programme beyond the extent to which we were already committed. There was no question of our seeking to act in breach of the Treaty. The second parts of the questions do not therefore arise. A copy of the aide-mémoire has been placed in the Library.

Mr. Higgins

Would not the right hon. Gentleman agree that it is most undesirable that reports should circulate implying that we were likely to break our treaty obligations without their being immediately contradicted by the Government?

Mr. Stewart

I think that it is clear from the terms of the aide-mémoire that we had no such intention.

Sir G. Nabarro

Would the right hon. Gentleman confirm now that our residual commitment after any rearrangement has been made will be about 27 per cent. of costs?

Mr. Stewart

As for further arrangements, the hon. Gentleman should await a later Question to be answered by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Aviation.

Sir Alec Douglas-Home

Is it not clear to the Foreign Secretary that he cannot make this distinction and that if Britain leaves the project which E.L.D.O. is conducting that is practically the end of the Organisation?

Mr. Stewart

The point I am making is that we were not proposing to do any-think which was in breach of the treaty. We propose to carry out such commitments as we have but, as the aide-mémoire said, the then proposals did not provide a basis for continued participation beyond our commitments.

Sir Alec Douglas-Home

Is there to be a statement at the end of Questions on this matter, as the right hon. Gentleman's answers have been entirely unsatisfactory?

Mr. Speaker

There are other Questions on the Order Paper which deal with the whole issue.

Mr. Grimond

Can the Foreign Secretary explain to the House how it got about on the Continent, as it certainly did, that the Government were to withdraw? Can he give a categorical assurance that E.L.D.O. is going on, or is that still undecided?

Mr. Stewart

I should draw attention to the fact—and this partly answers the right hon. Member for Kinross and West Perthshire (Sir Alec Douglas-Home)—that the basis of this question is the narrow though still important point of whether we were taking action in breach of the treaty. The answer to that is no. We made it clear that the then proposals did not provide a basis for continued participation. It may have been that which gave rise to the impression to which the right hon. Member for Orkney and Shetland (Mr. Grimond) refers. However, questions about fresh proposals are properly dealt with in answer to later Questions.