§ Ql. Mr. Winnickasked the Prime Minister what plans are now under consideration as an alternative to Great Britain joining the European Economic Community.
The Prime Minister (Mr. Harold Wilson): I would refer my hon. Friend to the Answers I gave to similar Questions on 28th and 30th May.—[Vol. 765, c. 1535–8; Vol. 765, c. 2127–9.]
§ Mr. WinnickCan my right hon. Friend give any indication about our present application to join the E.E.C.? In view of the various suggestions which have been put forward by Members and people outside the House for an Atlantic free trade area, have the Government considered the possibility of studying these proposals? Our right hon. Friend the Member for Battersea, North (Mr. Jay) seems very interested in these suggestions.
§ The Prime MinisterAs I have already told the House, the Government gave very close study to this as one of a number of possible alternatives before deciding on the application which we put to the House last May.
§ Sir D. Walker-SmithIs not the Prime Minister aware that a great deal has happened since the Government gave such study as they did to this matter? Will not he improve on the very disappointing approach he has so far made 907 to the possibilities of this imaginative and challenging concept?
§ The Prime MinisterIt is certainly imaginative and challenging, but we did not take the view that it was an immediately realistic one. As regards our application to join the E.E.C., as we have all said many times we have met with considerable frustration and disappointment, but I am certainly no more pessimistic about the success of that application now than I was a few months ago.
§ Mr. AndersonWill my right hon. Friend confirm that he appreciates that any flirtation now with so-called alternatives will reduce our credibility in Europe and give ammunition to those on the Continent who have said in the past that we were not interested anyway?
§ The Prime MinisterI do not think that there is any doubt in Europe about our very real interest and very real purpose in this matter. As I have said, nothing that has happened in the past few months has caused us to change the recommendation we put to the House, which was so overwhelmingly endorsed a year ago.
§ Mr. Biggs-DavisonIs the Prime Minister aware that some of us think that the challenging concept of N.A.F.T.A. might be a little one-sided in its challenge so far as the other side of the Atlantic is concerned? In view of the ferment in both Western and Eastern Europe, should not we now be a little patient, because the opportunity might arise to build a more flexible European system more satisfactory to British interests?
§ The Prime MinisterI agree with what the hon. Gentleman says about ferment in Western and Eastern Europe. America has also had to face problems. But it has always been our idea, and I think the idea of many hon. Members, that our joining the Community would be on a basis that we would all hope to get a very outward-looking Community, linking with other parts of Europe and the world.
§ Mr. JayMy right hon. Friend has referred several times to the Government's studies of these alternative policies. Does he agree that as these 908 studies, like others, have shown that there would be considerable economic advantages in some of them but possible political difficulties, it might now be wise to conduct a probe to see whether these political difficulties can be overcome?
§ The Prime MinisterI am not sure that in present conditions in Europe or in an election year in America this would be the best time to have a probe, even if I were convinced by the very eloquent propasals in my right hon. Friend's book.