§ Q2. Mr. Dalyellasked the Prime Minister when he next expects to meet President Pompidou.
§ Q7. Mr. Strangasked the Prime Minister if he plans to meet the President of France in the near future.
§ The Prime MinisterAs I told the House on 8th November, I will be meeting President Pompidou at Chequers next Friday and Saturday.—[Vol. 863, c. 1169.]
§ Mr. DalyellDoes the Prime Minister himself acquiesce in the French view that we, the nations of the Community, should go our own way while one of our number, namely, Holland, is discriminated against by the Arab oil exporters?
§ The Prime MinisterThat is not the French view, nor that of the Community. All the Foreign Ministers of the Community countries signed an agreed statement that was put out by the Community of Nine.
§ Mr. TebbitWill my right hon. Friend remind President Pompidou that, at a time when the Western alliance has been under considerable stress, we in this country would regard it as a most suitable act by France if she were to rejoin NATO and make available her forces fully to the NATO alliance?
§ The Prime MinisterFrance is a member of the alliance and her forces will be available to and co-operate with the alliance. President Pompidou and the whole French Government are fully aware of our view that we would very much wish them to become a full member of the organisation as well. It is a matter for the French to decide.
§ Mr. StrangDoes the Prime Minister agree that the proposals for the reform of the common agricultural policy announced by the Commission last week are a profound disappointment to those of us who had hoped for significant changes in a policy which is utterly inimical to the interests of the British people?
When the Prime Minister sees President Pompidou, will he make it clear to him that the incredible proposition that British milk producers will pay a special tax to solve the continental butter surplus, bearing in mind that the British milk producers supply only a fraction of the British butter market, is unacceptable?
§ The Prime MinisterI would not deal with the Commission's proposals in such a way. They must be dealt with by the Ministers of Agriculture and the Council of Ministers. This is the proper procedure. The price of butter in Britain is lower as a result of our being in the Community than it would otherwise be.
§ Mr. MartenWhen my right hon. Friend sees Mr. Pompidou, will he try to get his support for a joint approach to the Common Market to suspend the 8 per cent. tax on imported lamb on 1st January which is being imposed because we have joined the Common Market and which seems so unnecessary in the present climate of rising food prices?
§ The Prime MinisterI know the point my hon. Friend is making and I have dealt with it before. I have already assured my hon. Friend that this is a matter to which we are giving consideration.
§ Mr. ShoreWith a £2,000 million a year minimum current account deficit, will not the Prime Minister be discussing matters such as the future of sterling and economic union with the President of France from a position of appalling weakness; and does not the right hon. Gentleman think that it would be better to postpone the visit?
§ The Prime MinisterCertainly not.