§ Q4. Mr. Hoosonasked the Prime Minister when he next plans to meet President Pompidou.
§ 05. Mr. Skinnerasked the Prime Minister whether he has any plans to meet President Pompidou; and if he will make a statement.
§ 08. Mr. Wyn Robertsasked the Prime Minister what plans he has for an official meeting with President Pompidou.
§ The Prime MinisterAs the House is aware, I will be meeting President Pompidou at Chequers on 16th and 17th November.
§ Mr. HoosonAs there is so much concern in this country and in Europe about future defence policy, foreign policy and the future of food and fuel supplies, does the Prime Minister intend to explore with President Pompidou what common ground exists for the development of common policies that might be acceptable to the people of this country?
§ The Prime MinisterYes, Sir.
§ Mr. SkinnerWhen the Prime Minister meets Pompidou in a few days, will he seek his advice as to how he managed to impose a freeze on food prices despite the weather and the Common Market regulations? Does the Treaty of Rome apply only to Britain?
§ The Prime MinisterI shall treat the President of France with the courtesy which the hon. Gentleman denies him. In any case, he does not have to compete with people such as the hon. Gentleman.
§ Mr. RobertsWill my right hon. Friend seek to encourage the President to accept the latest EEC proposals regarding the reorganisation of the common agricultural policy and point out to him that they are in the interests not only of the people of this country, in that our contribution will be reduced by more than £100 million a 1170 year up to 1978, but of the European consumer?
§ The Prime MinisterI think that we shall probably have very fruitful discussions about the proposed revisions of the common agricultural policy.
§ Mr. McBrideWhen the right hon. Gentleman meets the President of France, will he mention to him the increases in food prices, especially for butter, which, with Her Majesty's Government's agreement, will increase over five years from £357 to £826 a ton? Will the Prime Minister ask M. Pompidou whether it is right that on accession to the EEC we in Britain should pay a tax of £200 per ton on some cheese, approximately £200 a ton on butter and £140 per ton on canned ham? Has not the right hon. Gentleman a duty to protect the British housewife to whom he spoke so wooingly at Leicester?
§ The Prime MinisterThe President of France could challenge the figures given by the hon. Gentleman and point out that we are benefiting from the subsidy on butter from the Community and that we can buy soft wheat in the Community cheaper than anywhere else in the world.
§ Mr. SandysHaving regard to the urgent need to strengthen Europe's influence in the world, will the Prime Minister discuss with President Pompidou what steps can be taken to ensure that the timetable for European integration, laid down at the last European summit meeting, is maintained and, if possible, accelerated?
§ The Prime MinisterYes, Sir, we shall certainly do that. Whereas it had previously been envisaged at the summit meeting in Paris that the next summit meeting would take place in 1976, it will now take place on 14th and 15th December 1973. This is encouraging and shows that events are moving.