§ 43. Sir Anthony Meyerasked the Lord Privy Seal if he is satisfied with the development of closer co-operation on matters of foreign policy within the European Economic Community.
§ Mr.. Humphrey AtkinsYes, Sir. Co-operation in foreign policy matters between the ten member States of the European Community continues to develop. At their meeting in London last month the Foreign Ministers of the Ten agreed a new report on European political cooperation, which incorporates a number of useful improvements, notably in strengthening the commitment of partners to consult on all important questions of foreign policy of concern to the Ten as a whole, and in establishing new crisis procedures. A copy of this report has been placed in the Library. We shall continue to work actively for further improvements wherever we think there are practical gains to be made.
§ Sir Anthony MeyerDoes my right hon. Friend accept that in an imperfect world the steady development of political co-operation in the Community reflects great credit on himself, his predecessor and on our right hon. and noble and much admired Friend the Foreign Secretary? Will my right hon. Friend further accept that if the momentum is to be maintained, and is not to be set at naught by periodic vetoes of member States, it is extremely important to institute effective machinery at Community level for carrying forward the process of political co-operation?
§ Mr. AtkinsYes, Sir. I am glad to have my hon. Friend's endorsement of a valuable adjunct to the other relations that we have with the European countries. We intend to carry that process forward wherever we can. The Ten accepted that there was a need for some machinery, However, that machinery must be small and not cumbersome. Therefore, there is a proposal to have a small support staff at the disposal of the Presidency. Two or three officials may be seconded from the Foreign Ministry of the preceding and succeeding Presidencies to provide continuity in thinking. That is valuable, provided that the machinery does not grow too big.
Mr. J. Enoch PowellDoes the right hon. Gentleman perceive that the closer the co-operation in matters of foreign policy inside the EEC, the less must be the influence of this House upon the foreign policy of this country?
§ Mr. AtkinsThe contrary is true. Foreign Ministers of any country, and particularly of the United Kingdom, are rightly subject to the scrutiny, criticism and control of their respective Parliaments. Therefore, Ministers are answerable to Parliament—as they always have been—for anything that they do. However, when they convince Parliament that a certain course is right, they can act in concert with others and increase the strength of the whole.
§ Mr. StokesWill the conquest of international terrorism be on the agenda of the Ten? Would not that be a suitable subject in view of the supply of arms to terrorist bodies by countries across the Iron Curtain?
§ Mr. AtkinsYes, Sir. The conquest of international terrorism has a high priority with all Ministers, wherever they meet.
§ Mr. Denzil DaviesWill the Lord Privy Seal now give the House the assurance that any documents setting out proposals for a common defence policy, common security policy or common foreign policy, about which we have read in the newspapers recently, will be presented to the House to be debated and voted upon before they are agreed in the Council of Ministers?
§ Mr. AtkinsYes, Sir. As the right hon. Gentleman knows, the actions of Her Majesty's Government are always subject to debate in Parliament. Proposals for action on matters of great moment have always been debated, and always will be. I counsel the right hon. Gentleman not to believe everything that he reads in the newspapers.
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. We must be fair. I want to call another question because I promised extra time since we were late getting to this part of Question Time.