HC Deb 16 July 1974 vol 877 cc238-41
Q4. Mr. William Hamilton

asked the Prime Minister if he will place in the Library a copy of the Press release of his speech on economic matters he made to international Socialist leaders on Sunday 30th June.

Q5. Mr. George Gardiner

asked the Prime Minister if he will place in the Library a copy of the Press release of his speech on economic affairs to the Socialist International Conference at Chequers on 30th June.

Q10. Mr. Nigel Lawson

asked the Prime Minister if he will place in the Library a copy of the Press release of his speech on the economic situation to the Socialist International at Chequers on 30th June.

The Prime Minister

I did so on the following day, Sir.

Mr. Hamilton

Will my right hon. Friend take this opportunity of reaffirming his firm belief in the need for the maximum amount of co-operation among Socialist leaders internationally and especially in Western Europe? That being so, will he use every endeavour to maintain our membership of the Common Market? In particular, will he say what are the prospects for international cooperation in the purchase of oil from the Middle East?

The Prime Minister

My speech, which is the subject of the Questions, rated substantially to the effect of the oil problems on all countries, including developing as well as developed countries, and also to the problem of oil money circulating round the world. Some of the warnings I gave have since been emphasised.

This was not in my speech, but one of the five items which we spent the day discussing related to Europe, and various statements were made on the European situation and positions were stated. I have nothing to add to what my right hon. Friend the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary said in a recent debate in the House on the European question.

With regard to co-operation in the matter of oil purchase prices and finance, this is, rightly, being done partly by countries bilaterally with the oil producers and partly on a world-wide scale. I set out on behalf of the Government some considerations which we should like to see followed in the world handling of oil and the oil monetary situation.

Mr. Gardiner

As in that speech the Prime Minister said that confidence demanded that a clear frontier be defined between what is public industry and what is private industry, will he say whether he intends to define that frontier clearly in the coming White Paper, and. if so, when?

The Prime Minister

That, of course, is what the White Paper is about. We shall have a definitive statement. I cannot forecast exactly when it will be ready. We are working hard on it.

Mr. Skinner

In his talks with the Socialist leaders, did my right hon. Friend indicate to them that one reason why the British people are very much against Britain's continued membership of the Common Market is that the so-called economies of scale, about which we heard so much during the term of the previous Government, in the first few months have resulted in a £2,000 million trading deficit with the rest of the Common Market countries? If my right hon. Friend has not already done so, will he tell the Socialist leaders that within the Labour Party there will be a massive campaign to urge the British people to vote "No" when they get the chance to do so in a referendum?

The Prime Minister

I have nothing to add to or to subtract from the figures which were given in the House yesterday by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade. The argument about economies of scale has validity provided that the nation is not crippled by the acceptance of some of the other terms. It was always recognised that economies of scale would take some little time to develop. We have made clear that when the negotiations are complete we shall put them to the British people for a decision by the ballot box.

Mr. Lawson

As the Prime Minister is afraid to allow the House an opportunity this Session to debate the White Paper to which my hon. Friend the Member for Reigate (Mr. Gardiner) referred, will he at least assure the House that the frontier he has in mind is neither like that of the Third Reich, namely constantly expanding, nor like that between Soviet Russia and the satellite States in which it makes very little difference which side of the frontier one happens to be?

The Prime Minister

I am certainly not afraid of having the White Paper debated in the House.

Mr. Tebbit

In this Session?

The Prime Minister

One advantage will be to show how utterly ridiculous have been the campaigns of Opposition Front Benchers and Opposition back benchers in the feverish and fevered remarks they have made. I admire the ingenuity—

Mr. Tebbit

In this Session?

The Prime Minister

I admire the ingenuity—in this Session—of the last part of the supplementary question. I will study what the hon. Gentleman has in mind. I found it more inscrutable than I found his rather distinguished contributions when he was a City editor.

Mr. Faulds

Did the Prime Minister regale the Socialist leaders with the relevance of the Palestinian problem and the contribution that the Arab Socialist leaders might make to world economic problems?

The Prime Minister

The point of view of the Palestinians and Middle Eastern questions were discussed. The Prime Minister of Israel was there. The Chancellor of Austria reported on his tour of the Middle East and particularly on the views expressed by Syria and Egypt. The Prime Minister of Malta was there. My hon. Friend may therefore be satisfied that all possible angles of Middle Eastern questions, including the vitally important question of the Palestinians, were discussed.

Mr. Faulds

Were any Arab Socialist leaders there?

Mr. Thorpe

Was the Prime Minister able to discover how many other Socialist Foreign Secretaries have monitoring committees to supervise their activities?

The Prime Minister

Ours has not.