HC Deb 24 July 1972 vol 841 cc1297-300
10. Mr. Biggs-Davison

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement about Gibraltar.

13. Mr. Kaufman

asked the Secretary of Stats for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the dates of his planned official talks with the Spanish Foreign Minister.

16. Mr. Arthur Lewis

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement on his recent official discussions with Senor Lopez Bravo, the Spanish Foreign Secretary, on the question of Spain's blockade of Gibraltar; and to what extent he granted concessions to Spain to use Gibraltar's airfield.

29. Captain W. Elliot

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the future relationship between the United Kingdom and Gibraltar.

54. Mr. Roy Hughes

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will now make a statement about his official discussions with the Spanish Foreign Secretary.

Sir Alec Douglas-Home

As the House knows, the Spanish Foreign Minister paid an official visit to Britain from 19th to 22nd July. We had useful discussions on a range of matters of mutual interest including the question of Gibraltar. The talks were, of course, confidential. I will, with permission, circulate the communiqué in the Official Report.

Mr. Biggs-Davison

While I am sure we welcome the talks with Señor Bravo, may I ask my right hon. Friend whether he can assure the House that Her Majesty's loyal subjects in Gibraltar with their fervent desire, overwhelmingly expressed in a referendum, to remain British under British sovereignty will be upheld?

Sir Alec Douglas-Home

Yes, I made clear from the start of talks with Señor Bravo, in Madrid and subsequently here, that we could not agree to arrangements under which the people of Gibraltar would pass under the sovereignty of another State against their freely and democratically expressed wishes. That is the Preamble to the Act of Parliament, so we have to observe it.

Mr. Kaufman

Is the Foreign Secretary aware that just as he failed in his attempt to sell out the people of Rhodesia to the Fascist Smith, so he will fail in any attempt to sell out the people of Gibraltar to the Fascist Franco? Will he tell the posturing Señor Bravo to lift the blockade on Gibraltar and allow British subjects there to live as British subjects in peace?

Sir Alec Douglas-Home

I do not accept any of the first propositions put by the hon. Member. They are very typical of him and I do not intend to reply to them. What I would say is that I said to Señor Bravo that if the restrictions on Gibraltar could be lifted, a totally different atmosphere would be created.

Mr. Arthur Lewis

Without revealing any of the confidences which have been entered into, can the right hon. Gentleman confirm or deny that there have been discussions on the granting of facilities or privileges to the Spanish Government concerning Gibraltar airport? Was that discussed?

Sir Alec Douglas-Home

I think it was mentioned, but it was not mentioned for any length of time.

Captain Elliot

Can my right hon. Friend assure the House that there will be no unilateral change in the present constitutional position which exists between this country and Gibraltar?

Sir Alec Douglas-Home

I have said already to the House that there will be no variation of what is written into the Act of Parliament—if that is what my hon. and gallant Friend means. The wishes of the people of Gibraltar would have to take precedence if the constitution in any way were to be changed in the future.

Mr. Goronwy Roberts

I wonder whether the right hon. Gentleman would like to help us and give the House an assurance that there will be no change in the constitutional status of Gibraltar without the full-hearted consent of the people and representatives of Gibraltar.

Sir Alec Douglas-Home

I think that is what I have just said, but if the right hon. Gentleman wants me to say it again, I do.

Mr. Jay

Does the Foreign Secretary think it was a wise decision to enable the people of Gibraltar through a referendum to express their own wishes about their country's future?

Sir Alec Douglas-Home

Some referenda are good and some bad.

Following is the text of the Communiqué:

The Spanish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Don Gregorio Lopez Bravo, accompanied by Sra. de Lopez Bravo, paid an official visit to Britain from 19th to 22nd July, 1972, at the invitation of the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, the right honourable Sir Alec Douglas-Home.

Sr. Lopez Bravo, accompanied by Sra. de Lopez Bravo, was invited to the Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace on 20th July where they had the honour of being presented to Her Majesty the Queen.

On 20th July Sr. Lopez Bravo called on the Prime Minister, the right honourable Edward Heath, for a general discussion.

The meetings between the two Foreign Ministers marked a further stage in the discussions which they had held on earlier occasions and notably during Sir Alec Douglas-Home's visit to Spain from 27th February to 1st March, 1972.

They provided an opportunity for a wideranging examination of international developments and of relations between Britain and Spain. In this context Ministers reviewed the opportunities which now exist for creating a new, closer and comprehensive relationship between their two countries.

Sr. Lopez Bravo outlined Spanish views on the future of Gibraltar: Sir Alec Douglas-Home undertook to give these careful study. The Ministers felt that working together in this fashion was the best way to make progress towards a satisfactory solution and agreed to discuss the matter further at their next working meeting in October.

Sr. Lopez Bravo also called on the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, the right honourable Geoffrey Rippon, for a discussion on issues arising from the enlargement of the European Community. Mr. Rippon emphasised that Britain looked forward, as a full member of the enlarged Community, to playing an appropriate part in the development of Spain's relationship with the European Economic Community.