§ Q7. Mr. Ian Lloydasked the Prime Minister to what extent his proposals for technological co-operation with Europe require the encouragement of arrangements involving a high degree of mobility of the personnel of British and European firms.
§ The Prime MinisterAs I explained in my Guildhall speech, an important element in these proposals lies in the concept of the European company, which would involve a very considerable degree of interchange between British and European personnel.
§ Mr. LloydI thank the Prime Minister for that mildly encouraging reply. Does not he agree that the unhampered movement of men, ideas and capital has been the fundamental condition for prosperity in Europe and North America for at least a century? Will he discourage his right hon. Friends from implying in their many speeches that in order to be pro-European or pro-British it is necessary to be anti-American?
§ The Prime MinisterI thought that the Question was about technological cooperation with Europe, which would envisage a very considerable movement both ways, not only of capital, as the hon. Gentleman says, but of ideas and of men and women of every kind of skill. Once this is achieved, as suggested in the Guildhall speech, it will help to make Europe as a whole much less dependent on American technology.