§ Q4. Mr. Blakerasked the Prime Minister whether he will make a statement about his discussions with Herr Brandt during the latter's recent visit.
§ The Prime MinisterMy discussion with Herr Brandt covered a wide range of subjects, including the European Summit Conference in October and East-West relations. The details are confidential, but I am glad to say that we remain in agreement on all the main issues of inter- 1770 national policy with which our two countries are concerned.
§ Mr. BlakerAre there not signs of a growing recognition on the part of the Community countries of the need for a common regional industrial policy to supplement national policies? Would not this development be greatly to our advantage? Did my right hon. Friend discuss that matter with Herr Brandt?
§ The Prime MinisterYes, we had a discussion of considerable length on the question of the development of regional policy, because this will be one of the major items discussed at the Summit in October. We recognised that, whereas so far in the Community the main objective of regional policy has been to deal with agricultural areas in difficulty, with the enlarged Community it will be necessary to change the balance and for policy to be concerned with the development of some of the older industrial regions.
§ Mr. StonehouseWill the Prime Minister convey the congratulations of the House to Herr Brandt on his decisive victory in today's vote? Turning to the constructive aspects of his talks with the German Chancellor, did the Prime Minister discuss British official participation in the European airbus programme and in the development of a European computer industry based on ICL technology?
§ The Prime MinisterWe discussed the future of European industrial development and the nature of European companies. In that context we discussed both aerospace and the computer industries. We did not have any detailed discussion about changing the existing basis of production of the airbus.
As to the first part of the right hon. Gentleman's question, the German Chancellor has always studiously refrained from commenting, in public at any rate, on the misfortune of Her Majesty's Opposition; and I do not propose to discuss German affairs.
§ Mr. MartenWhen the Prime Minister was dealing with the Common Market in answer to a supplementary question on his first Question today, he said that an extra Minister would be able to go to Brussels to defend the British housewife. Who is attacking the British housewife in Brussels?
§ The Prime MinisterShould there be any movement to deal with agricultural prices and so on we believe that we should have a Minister there so that he can safeguard British interests at all times. I should have thought that that was something that my hon. Friend would very much desire.
§ Mr. ThorpeDid the Prime Minister discuss with Herr Brandt, the success of whose Labour-Liberal coalition today many of us will welcome, the ratification of the treaties with East Europe and did he make plain that Her Majesty's Government do not hold the view that their ratification would damage NATO or the Six, as has been widely suggested in parts of Europe? Finally, without unduly interfering in the internal affairs of another country, did the Prime Minister also make plain to Herr Brandt that many of us deplore the way in which, for purely internal party reasons, the Leader of the Opposition—in West Germany—has sought to impair European unity which the people of Europe wish to see?
§ The Prime MinisterThe Government's support for the policy of Ostpolitik is well known and it was not necessary for me to re-emphasise it to Herr Brandt. I am a little surprised that the Leader of the Liberal Party should say that ratification of the treaties was widely thought in Europe to be damaging to NATO or European unity. I know that this is not the case and I do not believe that it is thought to be the case in this country. I have no evidence that it is a widespread view in Europe. Ratification of the Berlin agreements is a matter for the Bundestag and not one in which we can interfere or on which we can comment. On the Berlin treaties, I made it plain that as a Government we stand ready to sign these forthwith as soon as there has been ratification of the Eastern treaties.
§ Mr. ShoreWould the Prime Minister tell us whether in the discussions on regional policy he was able to put on the agenda the question of the problems facing some industrial areas as distinct from the more traditional concern of the Common Market countries with agricultural areas of decline? Can the Prime Minister tell us whether in any possible development of regional policy there 1772 would be the requirement of unanimous agreement among all the member countries before anything was brought into effect?
§ Mr. HeathYes. The need for a regional policy for industrial areas is firmly agreed between us. This has always been the view of the British Government, and this is the basis on which it will be discussed at the summit meeting. Naturally at the summit there will be need for agreement between heads of Government on future lines of policy, and I do not think there will be any difficulty about regional policy.