§ 52. Mr. Deakinsasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what subjects will be discussed at the next European Economic Community Council of Ministers meeting.
§ Mr. HurdThe usual written forecast of Council business for the month of January is being deposited in the Library of the House. I am arranging for a full statement, elaborating on the forecast, to be published in the Official Report.
The next meeting of the Council of Ministers is likely to be the meeting of Agriculture Ministers, scheduled for 17 and 18 January. The Foreign Affairs Council is due to meet on 24 and 25 January, when the main items for discussion are expected to be European Community-Japan relations, the solution to the budget problem for 1983 and later, the European Community-Spain 1970 agreement and the European Parliament's proposals for a common electoral system.
§ Mr. DeakinsNo doubt unemployment will also figure somewhere on the agenda. If it does, will the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind that during the years in which Britain has been a member of the Common Market the number of people employed in British manufacturing industry has fallen by 2 million? How does that square with the slogan that dominated the referendum campaign in 1975—"Jobs for the boys"?
§ Mr. HurdThe question that the hon. Gentleman and those who like him will have to answer is how unemployment, which is severe and tragic, would be helped by putting at risk the markets on which 43 per cent. of our exports depend.
§ Mr. MarlowWith regard to the budget issue, will my right hon. Friend undertake to tell our partners in Europe that next year a rebate will not be acceptable and that there is only one forseeable solution—a permanent solution to this probolem, which has been dragging on for years, even if that means force majeure being exerted by the British Government? There are so many vested interests that we may not achieve it otherwise.
§ Mr. HurdI am glad that my hon. Friend agrees with the European Parliament on this issue. The difficulty about the stand that he and the European Parliament take is that it is not realistic to suppose that a long-term settlement would have been achieved at the end of this year in time to make unnecessary the refunds that have been discussed during the last few days. My hon. Friend is right in saying that our objective, and that of the House, is a long-term solution to the problem that will take the place of the reasonably satisfactory three-year agreement, which is now coming to an end.
§ Mr. JayMeanwhile, has the Minister noticed that the recent restriction on the export of EC butter to the Soviet Union has caused great disappointment and distress to the French Communist millionaire who usually makes large profits out of these transactions?
§ Mr. HurdI note the right hon. Gentleman's point.
Following is the forecast:
EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES COUNCIL OF MINISTERS MEETINGS FORTHCOMING BUSINESS FOR JANUARY 1983
Three meetings of the Council of Ministers are planned for January. A fourth is currently under discussion.The Agriculture Council is expected to meet on 17–18 January. It is likely to consider common agricultural policy pricefixing—first examination—battery hens and certain other veterinary items, including proposals on animal diseases and on personnel responsible for carrying out health inspections.It is possible that there will be a meeting of the Economic and Finance Council on 17 January. The agenda has not yet been fixed.The Foreign Affairs Council is due to meet on 24–25 January, when it is expected to discuss the solution to the budget problem for 1983 and later, relations with Japan, the new regional development fund regulation, in particular the question of national quota shares, and ways of reinforcing the Community's steel anti-crisis measures. There will also be further discussion of the EC-Spain 1970 agreement in the light of Commission contacts with the Spaniards. The Council will continue its consideration of the European Parliament's proposals for a common electoral system and may also consider its position in preparation for the planned special EC-ACP joint council on STABEX, and further draft declarations on the accession negotiations for presentation to the Spaniards and to the Portuguese.Ministers may discuss proposals for progress on the three initial priority areas for completion of the internal market which they endorsed at the December Council. There may also be further discussions of the Genscher-Colombo proposals and of the Community aspects of the various studies on East-West economic relations which are now under consideration in other forums.The Fisheries Council is expected to meet on 25 January to discuss developments on the common fisheries policy in the light of the 21 December Fisheries Council.