EUROPEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY (Hansard, 4 April 1967)

§ Q4. Sir G. de Freitas
asked the Prime Minister whether he will make a statement on the conversations he has had with the Heads of Government of the countries of the European Economic Community.

§ Q12. Mr. Sandys
asked the Prime Minister when he intends to make formal application for Great Britain's entry into the European Economic Community.

§ The Prime Minister
As I told the House on 23rd March—[Vol. 742, c. 1754]—I have as yet nothing to add to the Answer I gave on 9th March—[Vol. 743, c. 332–3]—to Questions by the hon. Members for Banbury (Mr. Marten) and Shrewsbury (Sir J. Langford-Holt).

§ Sir G. de Freitas
If a White Paper is published giving some information about the talks, will my right hon. Friend also consider, in order to put these talks into perspective, publishing the text of the speech which he made at the very begin- 30 ning of the talks to the Assembly at Strasbourg, since that speech is often referred to but very seldom read?

§ The Prime Minister
That speech was put in the Library of the House. As to the possibility of a White Paper, we have not yet considered that proposal. The Government are considering what our next steps should be, and a full statement will be made to the House, either by a White Paper as well as a statement, or just by a statement, and there will be the fullest debate.

§ Mr. Sandys
In view of the fact that the Prime Minister has now completed his tour of visits and consultations, does he recognise the importance of not delaying longer than necessary his decision as to whether to apply for membership of the Community?

§ The Prime Minister
Yes, Sir. That is fully recognised by the Government, and I repeat what I said in answer to a Question by the right hon. Gentleman on 10th November last, that I recognise that it is of paramount importance not to lose the momentum which has been created.

§ Mr. Heath
The Prime Minister has stated publicly that all the information gained on the visits by himself and the Foreign Secretary to the European capitals is to be made available to his own party committees, and he has offered to make it available to party committees on this side of the House. Is he aware that it is not a satisfactory procedure that information should be made available privately to party committees? Will he not now, therefore, give a firm undertaking that all the information gathered in the capitals will be made available to Parliament as a whole and to the public in a White Paper before a decision is reached, so that we shall then be able to judge the basis for the Government's decision?

§ The Prime Minister
I should be prepared to discuss with the right hon. Gentleman the basis on which the maximum amount of information can be made available, not only to hon. Members but more widely. He will recall from his own experience that he had many meetings with his own party when he was involved in these negotiations. It is not unusual or unprecedented. If 31 he wants to have access to the same material, or if he would like to arrange for one of his right hon. Friends to discuss it with us, we should be glad to make sure that that information is available to all parts of the House on an equal basis. As to its wider dissemination and publication—without giving away the confidential things said, for example, by those with whom we were talking—that is a matter which we should like to consider first.

§ Lord Balniel
That answer is not satisfactory, surely. We understand that the Prime Minister will make a statement to the Parliamentary Labour Party on Thursday. How are other hon. Members to know the information which is given to them? Will it be by the usual distorted leaks which come from that Committee, or by the private hand-outs which the Prime Minister gives? Surely the right hon. Gentleman ought to consider once again the possibility of issuing a White Paper.

§ The Prime Minister
I agree at any rate with one word used by the noble Lord and that is his reference to the word "distorted" about proceedings at these meetings—[Interruption.]There have been accurate ones put out. I have been responsible for some of them myself. But I am prepared to discuss this with his right hon. Friend. I do not think that the noble Lord would suggest that I should come along and give a speech to the 1922 Committee, though I should be delighted to do so. Members of that Committee are not choosy and nor am I. However, it might be more appropriate for me to discuss with the right hon. Gentleman how we can make sure that an equal and corresponding amount of information on the subject is made available to the whole House.

§ Mr. Rankin
On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. For my own guidance, is it not the case that meetings of the Parliamentary Labour Party are private and that any information divulged there ought not to be made public?

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. The hon. Gentleman knows the answer and is taking up Question Time.