HC Deb 30 January 1974 vol 868 cc414-5
1. Mr. Dormand

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what items he hopes to place on the agenda for the next meeting of the Council of Ministers of the EEC.

14. Mr. Marten

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the agenda for the next meeting of the Council of Ministers of the EEC.

The Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Mr. Julian Amery)

A meeting of the Council of Ministers is taking place today to discuss regional policy. As far as the agenda for the next meeting of the Council is concerned, I would refer to the estimate of subject headings likely to come up for discussion in the Council meeting in February. This was placed in the Vote Office on 28th January.

Mr. Dormand

Whatever the hopes of people inside and outside the House, is it not now crystal clear that the difficulties arising from the regional development fund, which the Minister has just mentioned, the agricultural policy, our terms of trade and now the unprincipled scramble for oil, to say nothing of other matters, call not only for a renegotiation of our terms but for a complete review of the Treaty of Rome itself? Will the Minister seek to discuss this as soon as possible?

Mr. Amery

No, Sir. It seems to me absurd to lose heart because of discussion and debate in the Council of Ministers. We in this House conduct our affairs by debate, both between the parties and within the parties. That is a perfectly normal democratic process and that is how we would expect the Community to make progress.

Mr. Marten

It is not a question of losing heart. As the disintegration of the Common Market proceeds and as now only 12 per cent. of the British people think it a good thing that Britain joined the Common Market, may I ask what steps my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary is taking to discuss within the Council of Ministers the growing feeling on the back benches that out of it we should at least salvage a free trade area? Secondly, may I ask my right hon. Friend whether the cuckoo clock in the Common Market nursery is still stopped, or is nanny starting it again?

Mr. Amery

I should certainly never accuse my hon. Friend of losing heart in this matter, because he never gained it. I respect his position, even though I disagree with him, but I think it would be wrong to talk about disintegration of the European Community. We have achieved a common approach to the negotiations in GATT; we have achieved a common approach to the security conference; we have achieved a common approach on the Middle East; we are in the process of achieving a common approach to the energy conference shortly ahead of us; and we have also achieved a common approach to have begun negotiations to try to associate a large number of Commonwealth countries with the European Community.

Mr. Dalyell

Does this common approach include discussions on the takeover of BP and other Western oil interests by Kuwait? Will the Minister make a statement on this pressing matter?

Mr. Amery

The hon. Gentleman knows very well that Kuwait is not a member of the Community, and I do not see how that supplementary question arises here.