§ 9. Mr. Wayne David (Caerphilly) (Lab)If he will make a statement about the United Kingdom's bilateral relationship with France. [144044]
§ The Minister for Europe (Mr. Denis MacShane)Bilateral relations with France are good. Last month's 1425 UK-French summit showed how we work closely with France on a range of important issues. Next year, we plan to celebrate the centenary of the entente cordiale.
§ Mr. DavidI thank the Minister for that positive answer. The entente cordiale celebrations will be important, but will he ensure that young people are fully involved in them, as well as Members of this House?
§ Mr. MacShaneI am discussing with my opposite number in Paris a joint meeting of the House of Commons and the Assemblùe Nationale. Providing that the proposal gets parliamentary approval, I hope that all hon. Members who want to participate will do so. I am also in discussions with a number of organisations and companies, including Eurostar and Eurotunnel, about bringing together schoolchildren to learn something of our common history. That history goes back a thousand years to when the French invaded and colonised us, but it is necessary that we learn from each other and drop the rather unappealing Francophobic remarks that we hear too often in some of our press and occasionally from the Opposition Benches.
§ Mr. John Bercow (Buckingham) (Con)Strong bilateral relations between the United Kingdom and France require, among other things, mutual candour and understanding, so perhaps the Minister will answer today the question that the Prime Minister ducked yesterday. What is the difference in meaning between the phrase "ever closer union", which the Foreign Secretary boasted had been dropped from the draft constitution, and the phrase "united ever more closely"?
§ Mr. MacShaneThe hon. Gentleman demanded candour, but he will remember what Lord Canning said:
But of all plagues, good Heaven, thy wrath can send, Save me, oh, save me, from the candid friend.However, I will be candid with him: his question had absolutely nothing to do with France. If he reads the statement made yesterday, he will see that the Prime Minister explained the point.