HC Deb 30 July 1974 vol 878 cc474-7
Q4. Mr. Blaker

asked the Prime Minister if he will set up an interdepartmental study of the consequences for Great Britain's economy of a decision to withdraw from the EEC.

The Prime Minister

No, Sir. My right hon. Friends have reported to the House on the renegotiations. All relevant information for all contingencies is always available to all Governments.

Mr. Blaker

Has such a study already been made? Will the Prime Minister confirm that all members of the Cabinet support the Foreign Secretary in his approach to the negotiations, which is to approach them in good faith in the hope of a successful conclusion? Would not such a study prove to all members of the Government that the Foreign Secretary deserves support in his wish for this country to stay in the Community?

The Prime Minister

No special study has been made. My right hon. Friend has been negotiating in Brussels on the basis of the agreed view of the whole Cabinet—that was the mandate he was given—and I should have thought, though I have not had much evidence of this, that he probably receives a certain degree of support from Opposition Members for trying to put right the terms which were so badly negotiated two years ago.

Mr. Jay

Will my right hon. Friend note that there is no need for an interdepartmental study of the consequences of our not withdrawing from the Community because they are visible to all of us?

The Prime Minister

That is a view which my right hon. Friend may put forward, but some of my right hon. Friends, not least the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, have been trying to put right, and with considerable success, some of the matters which had been badly negotiated.

Mr. Thorpe

Is the Prime Minister aware that, although we accept that the Foreign Secretary is negotiating in good faith, there was considerable surprise that what had clearly been indicated to be the Foreign Office view on the common energy policy, which had also been transmitted to our colleagues, was directly reversed when the Secretary of State for Trade got round the conference table? Would it not be better if the Foreign Secretary took the greater share, although admittedly he was on Cypriot business in Geneva? However, does not the right hon. Gentleman agree that this sort of behaviour does not enhance our reputation in Europe?

The Prime Minister

I do not agree. Certainly my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary would have been there but for his commitments in Geneva.

Mr. Mikardo

As the Chancellor of the Exchequer's proposal to double the regional employment premium and the proposals of the Secretary of State for Industry to assist in keeping going factories which might otherwise shut are being held up by examination in the European Commission, will my right hon. Friend confirm that one of the effects of our withdrawing from the Community will be that Her Majesty's Government and Parliament will be able to make their own decisions without restriction by a coven of unelected bureaucrats in Brussels?

The Prime Minister

There is no reason to suppose that the decisions of Her Majesty's Government referred to by my hon. Friend will be or can be held up by the Commission or anyone else in Brussels. If there were any attempt to do that, I am sure that right hon. and hon. Members opposite who supported the Chancellor of the Exchequer's proposals, including those on REP, with such enthusiasm in the vote last Wednesday evening would be the first to join in ensuring that that did not happen.

Mr. Heath

Will the Prime Minister answer the question put to him by the right hon. Member for Devon, North (Mr. Thorpe)? It is well known that what happened on the energy policy was that agreement was reached between all member countries of the Community, including the United Kingdom. It was reached by the officials dealing with this matter on the instructions of the British Government and it was overthrown entirely on the personal whim of the Secretary of State for Trade. Will the Prime Minister account for this, because it has established in the Community a complete mistrust of the faith of the British Government?

The Prime Minister

Before I reply to the right hon. Gentleman's question, I hope I shall not be too far out of order in referring to the incident involving him this morning, which I think all of us will agree was totally deplorable. The issues involved are far too important to be dealt with by hooliganism. They should be dealt with by free and democratic debate.

I do not accept what the right hon. Gentleman has said in his question. We have taken the view on energy that, apart from national action which should be taken, we need to tackle—the right hon. Gentleman's Government took this view—the world's energy problem on a much broader basis than the Nine. We shall work with the Nine but, just as the right hon. Gentleman made clear, we also make clear that there can be no question of a commitment to share North Sea and Celtic Sea oil and gas with the Nine.

Mr. Heath

I am grateful for what the right hon. Gentleman said at the beginning of his remarks. I was delighted that the Minister for Sport was present at the occasion, and I am grateful to the Leader of the Liberal Party for the apology which he has sent me.

The Prime Minister

: So much for a little coalition.