§ 67. Mr. Kenneth Carlisleasked Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he makes it his policy to assess the views of the Confederation of British Industry in regard to the future development of the European Community.
§ Mr. CarlisleDoes my right hon. Friend agree with the CBI that it would be a disaster for British industry if we left the Common Market? Does he accept that not only do millions of jobs depend upon our growing exports to the Common Market, by far our largest market, but that foreign firms invest in jobs and factories in this country precisely because we are members of the Common Market.
§ Mr. HurdMy hon. Friend is right. Personally, I hope that individual employers will inform their employees of the proportion of that firm's order book and therefore of jobs that depend on free access to the Community.
§ Mr. DalyellWhat can Foreign Office Ministers think in their reflective moments about supplies from Rolls-Royce to Blohm and Voss and from British Aerospace-Plessey to Aerospatiale Dassault of the most lethal weapons of war to be used, possibly by Argentina?
§ Sir Russell FairgrieveIn the interests of this and other Community policies, may I give added weight to the question asked by my hon. Friend the Member for Chichester (Mr. Nelson)? Will my right hon. Friend ask his colleagues in the Treasury to consider an early, rather than a later, joining of the EMS?
§ Mr. HurdI note what my hon. Friend says. Like him, I listened to my right hon. Friend's reply. I do not wish to add to it.
§ Mr. Ioan EvansWhen the Minister talks to the CBI, will he get its confirmation that, since this country has become a member of the Common Market, industrial putput has fallen by 16 per cent. and that 2 million manufacturing jobs have been lost? Will he have discussions at the same time with the TUC to obtain its views on membership of the Common Market?
§ Mr. HurdThe fact that unemployment in this country is bad is not a reason for putting more jobs at risk by withdrawing from the Community.