HC Deb 18 December 1969 vol 793 cc1548-9
Q6. Mr. Marten

asked the Prime Minister if he is satisfied with the coordination between the various Government Departments in their relations with the Confederation of British Industry.

The Prime Minister

Yes, Sir.

Mr. Marten

Has the C.B.I. in its preparation of the Report on the Common Market which was published today had the benefit of consultation with Government Departments? If so, will the Prime Minister remind the C.B.I. that in addition to the deficit on the balance of payments which it mentions and describes as a price tag, it should not forget to add the problem of the repayment of £3,000 million debt which also has to come out of the balance of payments surplus?

The Prime Minister

Perhaps, as it is Christmas, the hon. Gentleman will allow me to begin my Answer by saying what I always feel— that we admire his ingenuity in getting a Question down three weeks in advance and always managing to get a very topical supplementary, as he has done again today. We have the feeling that he had a different supplementary in mind at the time of tabling the Question. I think that I know what it was on this occasion.

The answer to the first part of the hon. Gentleman's question is that there has been consultation with the Government. We have given the C.B.I. help in the survey, though most of the work has been done by the Confederation and it must take responsibility for its final report.

On the second part, I do not think that it is for me to express an opinion. There is a lot of good sense in the document. The Confederation's estimates about the balance of payments and agricultural costs must be its own until we can put forward our own Government White Paper.

Mr. Barnett

Will my right hon. Friend consider reprinting the C.B.I. document by Her Majesty's Stationery Office so that it will be available to hon. Members who cannot otherwise obtain it without having to buy a copy?

The Prime Minister

This is a very helpful suggestion, but I am not sure that I want to impose an additional load on Her Majesty's Stationery Office at this moment in time. I am sure that the C.B.I. will take note of the point made by my hon. Friend and I am sure that it would be happy, out of its own not insubstantial resources, without circulating the document to all M.P.s, to send a copy to any Member of Parliament who wished to read it without paying the price.