§ Q6. Dr. Gilbertasked the Prime Minister which Minister is responsible for the dissemination of information about the United Kingdom's possible accession to the European Economic Community.
§ Mr. MaudlingI have been asked to reply.
The co-ordination of all matters relating to the European negotiations is the responsibility of my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. The provision of information on specific subjects is for the Minister primarily responsible.
§ Dr. GilbertHas the right hon. Gentleman noticed the curious coincidence that the print order of Government fact sheets on the Common Market is being quadrupled at the same time as public support has diminished almost to vanishing point? Would he identify cause and effect in this situation? Has the print order gone up because the public are so disenchanted, or are the public so disenchanted because they are learning more about the Common Market?
§ Mr. MaudlingThe reason for publishing fact sheets is to give the maximum information to the public about a matter which, as the House would agree, is of fundamental importance.
§ Sir J. RodgersDoes not my right hon. Friend agree that since my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster is doing such a magnificent job in the negotiations, it might be worth while to augment his efforts by allowing him a Minister of State, a junior Minister, to tour the countryside to explain how well he is doing in Europe?
§ Mr. MaudlingMy right hon. Friend will doubtless consider that suggestion, too.
§ Mr. Harold WilsonAssuming that whichever Minister is responsible for this is bilingual, would the right hon. Gentleman arrange to place in the Library or to circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT a copy of the highly important text of the broadcast by President Pompidou a couple of nights ago in the French original and in the best Foreign Office 1519 or Home Office translation into English? In this, would he give some guidance to the House, which is so far very deficient, whether the translation of President Pompidou's word "rupture"—[Laughter.] In case you could not hear me, Mr. Speaker, in English, "rupture"—
§ Sir G. NabarroRapture, careless, rapture.
§ Mr. WilsonThe hon. Gentleman must make his own arrangements with his own surgeon in these matters. [Laughter.] May I continue my question? Will the right hon. Gentleman place this in the Library in French and in an authoritative version in English, giving the Government's translation of this word, which reads in French "rupture"—and which I understand is translated into English as "rupture"—of relations between Britain and New Zealand, which is apparently a condition of future negotiations? Since the B.B.C. in one translation said that it was "disruption", which is not the English translation of the French word, the second time did not translate it at all and the third time correctly translated it as "break", may we have the Government's view of what President Pompidou was saying?
§ Mr. MaudlingThe right hon. Gentleman has raised an important point; I will consider doing that. Bilingualism is not a characteristic of all Ministers, certainly not of Home Secretaries. I follow the precedent of the late Sir Winston Churchill, who began one speech with the words, "Prenez garde: je vais parler Francais."
§ Mr. St. John-Stevasrose—
§ Mr. St. John-StevasThe language of the Vatican is Latin, not Italian. Would it not be more to the point if the Leader of the Opposition, in any language of his choosing—French, English or anything else—gave the country some indication of where he stands on this vital issue?
§ Mr. MaudlingI sometimes wonder whether that problem could be elucidated even by the resources of the Vatican.
§ Mr. Harold Wilsonrose—
§ Mr. WilsonI thank the right hon. Gentleman for his interest in these matters. Since he heard me say—I said it on television last week and I have said it in this House many times—that I want to get into the Common Market if the terms are right, and I am waiting to see whether the terms are right, would he say whether he disagrees with that, or whether he does not take the view that he would like to get in the Common Market if the terms are right?
§ Mr. MaudlingThere is no mystery about that. Of course I want to get into the Common Market if the terms are right.