HL Deb 15 January 1964 vol 254 cc572-5

2.30 p.m.

LORD GLADWYN

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government to what extent they agree with the description of the agricultural policy of the European Economic Community given by Mr. Harold Wilson in his speech at Oxford on January 6 last; namely, that it is wrongly conceived, inward-looking, autarkic, unsuited to agriculture here and in Europe, to East-West trade, …, to the Commonwealth producer and to the freer trading Atlantic Community".]

THE MINISTER WITHOUT PORTFOLIO (LORD CARRINGTON)

My Lords, the system adopted for agriculture by the European Economic Community is not itself necessarily autarkic or inward-looking. What matters is the way in which it is implemented. Her Majesty's Government hope that in the Kennedy Round of tariff negotiations the Community, as agreed in the Ministerial resolution of the GATT of last May, will work for the liberalisation and expansion of world trade in agricultural products.

LORD GLADWYN

My Lords, may I ask the Minister whether the Government are aware that in 1962 the European Economic Community imported nearly 25 per cent. more foodstuffs from the outside world than it did in 1959, whereas we imported only 3 per cent. more? Would he not therefore agree that this suggests, or seems to suggest, that it is rather we, and not the Six, who are inward-looking and protectionist?

LORD CARRINGTON

My Lords, I think that the Government have made it plain on a number of occasions that we welcome any decision by the Six to have a liberal and outward-looking agricultural policy, and any evidence of this is certainly welcome.

EARL ALEXANDER OF HILLSBOROUGH

My Lords, although food imports increased in the Common Market Six during that period, did not the cost of living as regards food go up very sharply in all the countries concerned? Mr. Selwyn Lloyd, in a recent sound broadcast, said that when we complain about the cost of living here we should look at France, Germany, Italy and the other members of the Common Market. That was one of the Ministers of the Crown speaking. Does it mean that the Government want to change to the Continental system and to put the costs on to the consumer?

LORD CARRINGTON

My Lords, I am not quire sure whether that question was addressed to me or to the noble Lord, Lord Gladwyn. What I have said, on behalf of Her Majesty's Government, is that we hope very much that the European Economic Community will implement a liberal and outward-looking agricultural policy.

THE EARL OF SWINTON

My Lords, following on the Question which was put by my noble friend Lord Gladwyn, may I ask the Government for a firm assurance that the policy of maintaining a strong, healthy and prosperous agricultural industry in this country will remain a fundamental point of British policy?

LORD CARRINGTON

Yes, my Lords.

EARL ATTLEE

My Lords, may I ask whether the Government intend to ask the opinion of the country, at the next Election, before they embark on any further negotiations for entry into the Common Market?

LORD CARRINGTON

My Lords, I think that my right honourable friend the Prime Minister has made it plain that there is no question at this moment of re-entering into negotiations about entry into the Common Market.

EARL ATTLEE

My Lords, what does "at this moment" mean?

LORD CARRINGTON

My Lords, it means before the next Election.

LORD GLADWYN

My Lords, so far as the question of the noble Earl, Lord Alexander of Hillsborough, was addressed to me, however irregularly, may I say that what I said was designed merely to elicit the fact—which it did—that the policy of the Six is not inward-looking but rather outward-looking.

LORD CONESFORD

My Lords, if the noble Lord, Lord Gladwyn, wishes to debate with the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Harold Wilson, is not this a very odd way of doing it?

EARL ALEXANDER OF HILLSBOROUGH

My Lords, may I ask the noble Lord the Leader of the House whether he is aware that there are many other things in the speech of Mr. Harold Wilson quoted in the Question on the Order Paper (the sort of Question which would never have been accepted at the Table in another place; but we are very free up here), and that in a recent speech Mr. Wilson pointed out that General de Gaulle had said that no community worthy of the name would be put into a position of not producing the whole of the food required for its own use? Is that not inward-looking? And has that not largely been the trouble of the Government in trying to get into the Common Market? They have been squeezing and squeezing our agriculture, so far as possible, to bring it into line with the Six.

LORD CARRINGTON

My Lords, the Leader of the Opposition in another place has made a great many speeches recently, and I must honestly say that I do not recall that he said that, but it would not surprise me if he did.

EARL ALEXANDER OF HILLSBOROUGH

Here is Mr. Wilson's speech: take it and read it.