EUROPEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY (Hansard, 27 May 1971)

HC Deb 27 May 1971 vol 818 cc575-7 575

§ Q6. Mr. Eadie
asked the Prime Minister if he will now seek to convene a meeting of heads of Commonwealth governments to explain to them the latest proposals made in the European Economic Community negotiations that specially concern them.

§ The Prime Minister
No, Sir. There are continuing arrangements for briefing representatives of Commonwealth Governments after each round of negotiations at Ministerial level. In addition, my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster will shortly meet representatives of developing Commonwealth Governments whose sugar industries are party to the Commonwealth Sugar Agreement.

§ Mr. Eadie
If the right hon. Gentleman should manage to meet the heads of Government I have mentioned, will he be more forthcoming and conciliatory with them than he has been with the British people? Is he aware that his attitude to the British people, reflected in the Common Market issue, is that Heath knows best and to hell with consulting the people of this country on this issue?

§ The Prime Minister
I should have thought that it might be more appropriate for the hon. Gentleman to devote himself to the substance of the negotiations than to seeking cheap headlines. I know of no complaint by Commonwealth Governments that this Government have in any way failed to keep them fully informed throughout the whole 576 course of the negotiations. As I have already told the House, when we reach a point at which the main matters are settled, a White Paper giving the fullest possible information will be published and debated by the House.

§ Mr. Blaker
Have the Government's consultations with the Commonwealth countries revealed how many are likely to seek direct trading links with the Community if we join? Is it not likely that most will seek and obtain such links?

§ The Prime Minister
Of 31 or 30 members of the Commonwealth in addition to ourselves, I think that at the conclusion of the negotiations, if they are successful, some 26 or 27 will have trading arrangements with the Community either through association under Part IV of the Treaty or by direct trading arrangements.

§ Mr. Prentice
If the consultations with the Commonwealth sugar-producing countries show that they are dissatisfied with the formula reached in Brussels, to what extent are the Government prepared to take the whole matter back to the negotiating table to try to get guarantees in terms of quantities? If they are not prepared to do that, what is the meaning of the consultations?

§ The Prime Minister
The consultations will enable my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster to explain in more detail the nature of the assurance which has been received in the negotiations.
On the first part of the right hon. Gentleman's question, we must await the views of the representatives of the countries who are coming to London next week and consider what they have to put before us. As I have explained, we believe that the offer of association, which will enable them to join with the other associated countries, combined with the statement about the future of sugar and the joint interest which, in the enlarged Community, if it comes about, France and we will have as the two major countries responsible for associated territories, is a firm assurance about the future of this industry for these countries.

§ Sir D. Walker-Smith
Arising out of my right hon. Friend's penultimate answer, will he identify the four or five 577 Commonwealth countries which would not have direct trading links?

§ The Prime Minister
It is unlikely that Canada and Australia will have direct trading links. It may be that Malaysia and Singapore will not have direct trading links. The offer in various ways will be open to the remainder if these negotiations are successful—I think that is the broad picture—either through association under Part IV or by various trading arrangements.

§ Mr. English
Will the Prime Minister explain the nature of the representatives who will be coming next week? If they are not at the highest political level, does he agree that at some stage a full-scale Commonwealth conference to discuss our possible entry into the Community, would be desirable?

§ The Prime Minister
The level of representation of the sugar-producing countries which will come to London next week has been left entirely to those countries to decide for themselves. It is a matter absolutely for them. I understand that representatives of the sugar-producing organisations in those countries will, in some cases, be accompanying them. That, again, is entirely a matter for them.

§ On the question of a heads of Government conference, the differences between the arrangements for members of the Commonwealth are considerable, and these have been discussed with the individual countries concerned.