MIDDLE EAST

HC Deb 20 November 1973 vol 864 cc1127-8

Q5. Mr. Rost

asked the Prime Minister if he will seek to pay an official visit to the Middle East.

The Prime Minister

I have at present no plans to do so, Sir.

Mr. Rost

While none of us would wish to understate the shorter-term effects on our economy of the oil famine, may I ask whether my right hon. Friend agrees that the Arabs could have done us a good turn and that in the longer term this could be a blessing in disguise as there is now a fresh incentive for us to become self-sufficient as quickly as possible in energy resources and to convert and use our resources more efficiently in the future than we have done in the past?

The Prime Minister

It is right that we should give the greatest priority to work on other forms of energy, and this is being carried through both with the development of North Sea oil and with the use of nuclear energy. In the meantime, until those sources can give us more energy on a considerable scale, the burden which the country will have to bear will be considerable.

Mr. Douglas

Would the right hon. Gentleman care to expand on his remarks yesterday about the attitude of the Arab countries being likely to be against their long-term advantage? How does the right hon. Gentleman propose to ensure concerted action by the Western European countries, Japan and the United States to negotiate a long-term energy policy, particularly in relation to oil, between the producing and consuming nations?

The Prime Minister

All three groups mentioned by the hon. Gentleman are represented in the OECD, together with other countries, and we consider that that is a forum where discussions can best take place.

Mr. Walters

Should my right hon. Friend visit the Middle East, he would be able to say that Britain's foreign, policy, clearly enunciated three years ago, was subsequently adopted in Europe. Would not it be helpful if, in the future, closer consultation with Europe enabled a European policy to emerge before a crisis developed?

The Prime Minister

I think one has to take into account the fact that the Community was enlarged less than 11 months ago and that it had been preoccupied in the political sphere with transatlantic relations. It is right that the Community should now devote its attention to its relations with other parts of the world, and the summit meeting in December of the Heads of Governments will be able to contribute to that.

Mr. Benn

Can the right hon. Gentleman assure the House that the Government will maintain the view that North Sea and Celtic Sea oil are a British reserve and not a European one for the future?

The Prime Minister

That is the Government's view.