UNCTAD IV (Hansard, 16 June 1976)

§ 8. Mr. Spearing
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consultations he has had with the Secretary General of the Commonwealth concerning the outcome of the UNCTAD Conference in Nairobi.

§ The Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Mr. Evan Luard)
None so far, Sir.

§ Mr. Spearing
Is not that a disappointing and rather disgraceful answer, in view of the fact that it was through the Commonwealth Prime Ministers' meeting that the original initiative for some movement in this matter came from my right hon. Friend the Member for Huyton (Sir H. Wilson)? Is my hon. Friend aware that the Commonwealth group of experts not only endorsed the principle of a common fund but hoped that it would emerge? Is is not time for the group of experts to be reconvened, so that the Commonwealth can make a specific contribution to the forthcoming discussions on the matter?

§ Mr. Luard
We recognise that the Commonwealth has had continuing discussions on this question, and we have been in close touch with members of the Commonwealth both at Nairobi and before. The Commonwealth group of experts still exists. Its final report will not be delivered until shortly before the next Commonwealth Prime Ministers' meeting next summer, when, of course, we shall consider it.

§ Mr. Tugendhat
Does the hon. Gentleman agree that, when Britain's economic strength is so low, one of our real sources of potential influence is our joint membership of the Community and the Commonwealth, and that that should give this country the ability to play a much more influential and pivotal rôle in discussions of the kind that took place at UNCTAD? The previous Prime Minister used the Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference for this purpose. Is it not very disappointing that the Minister cannot provide more positive answers to Questions of this kind?

§ Mr. Luard
My answer was positive. I made it clear that we had had continuing discussions with the Commonwealth and also with the EEC on all these questions, including the matters discussed at UNCTAD in Nairobi. What this and the original Question seem to imply is that any right-minded Government should have supported from the beginning the idea of a common fund. There is room for a difference of view on that issue. We have to be concerned not only about our own interests but about those of smaller developing countries which are consumers rather than producers of commodities. It is not clear that such countries would be benefited by a common fund. It is on those grounds that we have taken the attitude that we have.

§ Mr. Hooley
Does the Minister not agree that there are two forums—the EEC and the Commonwealth? Unfortunately, the EEC is totally split on this issue, as was shown at Nairobi. There is a very powerful case for trying to establish a Commonwealth policy on the basis of the excellent reports produced by the special committee of experts.

§ Mr. Luard
The fact of the matter is that the Commonwealth Governments arc as divided on this matter as is the EEC. Perhaps this division is for even more obvious reasons, because their interests are more clearly divided. We have had continuing discussions in the Commonwealth, including several meetings at Nairobi, to try to patch up these differences. My hon. Friend is right; we should continue these discussions and try to reach some kind of common understanding in the Commonwealth. However, I am sad to say that at the moment there is not too great a hope of that.