HC Deb 15 April 1981 vol 3 cc320-2
37. Mr. Dykes

asked the Lord Privy Seal what issues relating to closer co-operation between members of the European Economic Community Council of Ministers on social, economic and political questions of importance he plans to raise.

Sir Ian Gilmour

In addition to the major tasks of restructuring the Community budget and the reform of the common agricultural policy, we shall continue to seek the development of policies in fields such as transport infrastructure, energy and measures to strengthen the Common Market for goods and services, particularly insurance. We shall be participating in the review of the regional and social funds with a view to strengthening them.

Mr. Dykes

I thank my right hon. Friend for that answer. However, in view of the serious economic problems and unemployment in Europe, is he concerned—like others—that disagreement on individual policies, such as recently occurred on fisheries, will prevent member States from pursuing the Community's wider goals? Will my right hon. Friend try to solve those problems?

Sir Ian Gilmour

I agree with my hon. Friend. Of course, I wish that there had not been such disagreement, but as I said last week, that must not deflect us from seeking to strengthen the Community. Chancellor Schmidt said at the Koenigswinter conference the other day that if we do run into conflicts in our daily routine we must solve them in the interests of the Community, which also means in the interest of every member country and also in the interest of the global balance of power in whose maintenance the EEC has in the meantime become an indispensable factor". I think that was well put.

Mr. Healey

In view of the right hon. Gentleman's passion for closer integration in the European Community, can he explain why the Chancellor of the Exchequer, at a meeting of world Finance Ministers last weekend, was the only European Finance Minister to support the American insistence on maintaining high interest rates, against all the other members of the European Community, which wanted lower ones?

Sir Ian Gilmour

I am sorry to complain again about the right, hon. Gentleman's language, but I think that "passion" is rather a strong word to use—as far as I am concerned. He knows that my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer reduced interest rates by 2 per cent. in the Budget, and looks forward to further reductions during the coming year.

Mr. Healey

I apologise to the right hon. Gentleman. I should not have described his pallid langour as passion. Perhaps the word that I should have used was velleity.