United Kingdom Presidency (Hansard, 18 February 1981)

§ 35. Sir Anthony Meyer
asked the Lord Privy Seal what objectives he has set for the United Kingdom Presidency of the European Community due to begin on 1 July.

§ Sir Ian Gilmour
As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister said on 12 February in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Lincoln (Mr. Carlisle), the Government's general objective during our Presidency will be to manage business efficiently and to contribute to the development of practical and constructive policies in the Community. It is too early to say what specific objectives we shall have, but one of our main aims will be to ensure that the Community tackles effectively the restructuring of the Community budget under the agreement of May 1980.

§ Sir Anthony Meyer
Since it can be taken for granted that the Foreign Secretary will continue the successful exploitation of British membership in order to strengthen the influence of British foreign policy in the world, can my right hon. Friend turn his attention to the importance of trying to evolve common policies to supplement the CAP, notably a common industrial policy to create new jobs in Europe along the lines set out in the excellent pamphlet recently produced by the European Democratic Group?

§ Sir Ian Gilmour
I wholly agree with the first part of my hon. Friend's question. However industrial matters are for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Industry. In conformity with what my hon. Friend says, it always has been one of our aims to redress the balance of Community expenditure away from agriculture and towards the non-agricultural sectors, which would be of great benefit to the United Kingdom. That was one drift of the report to which he refers.

§ Mr. Denzil Davies
Is not the main duty of the Presidency in the Council of Ministers to seek a compromise between conflicting interests? Is there therefore not likely to be a conflict of interests between our Presidency and any attempt by the British Government to seek fundamental reforms? Therefore, does not the Minister agree that at the end of the day all that we shall have done is to sacrifice British interests in order to secure a spurious diplomatic victory?

§ Sir Ian Gilmour
I do not believe that the right hon. Gentleman's prophesying is any better based than his logic. There is no reason why our Presidency should act against the interests of this country. He is right in one way—the Community proceeds by consensus. It is for the Presidency to lead and to seek consensus.

§ Mr. Dorrell
In view of the problems for our manufacturing industry caused by the gyrations on the foreign exchanges in recent months, will my right hon. Friend suggest to the Chancellor of the Exchequer that one proposal that we should advance during our Presidency is that the pound should become a member of the EMS?

§ Sir Ian Gilmour
I shall pass on my hon. Friend's view.

§ Mr. Foulkes
Is the Lord Privy Seal aware of the European Parliament venturing into debate and bilateral discussions on areas that are more properly within the competence of national Parliaments? What action will he take during his Presidency or elsewhere to indicate our displeasure?

§ Sir Ian Gilmour
With all respect to the hon. Gentleman, I am not sure that I feel the displeasure that he ascribes to me. As parliamentarians, we are surely in favour of debate in Parliament. I do not know to which subject the hon. Gentleman refers, but I have not noticed the European Parliament going beyond its remit in this sphere.