HL Deb 07 December 1972 vol 337 cc370-2

3.16 p.m.

LORD MILFORD

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 whether they will assure the House that they will never give encouragement to the present Spanish regime that Spain is welcome to join the E.E.C. until there is a democratic Government in that country.

BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIE

My Lords, if and when Spain applies for membership of the E.E.C. this would be for consideration by the Community as a whole.

LORD MILFORD

My Lords, while thanking the noble Baroness for her reply, may I ask whether she can absolutely assure the House that the Foreign Secretary did not give any encouragement to General Franco during his visit to Spain?

BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIE

My Lords, my right honourable friend certainly made no public statement on the subject, but he said that he hoped it would be possible for Spain to have a successful conclusion to the adaptation of her existing trading agreement with the E.E.C.

LORD CONESFORD

My Lords, can the Minister say what meaning is to be attached to the words "democratic Government" in the Question? Would they include the Government of a country which either has no elections at all or has elections at which only Communists are allowed to stand?

BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIE

My Lords, I think I would interpret this part of the Question by reminding my noble friend that the Paris Summit Communiqué clearly reaffirmed the democratic political basis for the further development of the Community.

LORD MILFORD

My Lords, are the Government aware that at this moment repression is increasing in Spain and that the T.U.C. International Committee are protesting to the Spanish Ambassador over the gaoling of 10 Spanish trade unionists, for whom the prosecutor is demanding a sentence of 167 years? Furthermore, with events of this kind taking place, is the noble Baroness aware that the apprehension of a great section of the British people—

THE LORD PRIVY SEAL (EARL JELLICOE)

My Lords, I must intervene, if the noble Lord will permit me. I have more than once reminded noble Lords who are representatives of majority Parties in this country that they should not read their supplementary questions, and I feel therefore, in fairness, that I must put the same point to the noble Lord, Lord Milford.

LORD MILFORD

Furthermore, my Lords, is the noble Baroness aware that there is great apprehension among a large section of the British people over this question because Her Majesty's Foreign Office is still headed by people who were responsible for helping General Franco in his war against the Spanish democratic Government by the policy of non-intervention?

BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIE

My Lords, I could not accept the last comment made by the noble Lord. But I would say that if Spain applied for membership of the Community, unanimity in the Council would be required under Article 237 of the Treaty of Rome.

LORD BROCKWAY

My Lords, may I ask the noble Baroness whether she would say that the present Constitution of Spain is consistent with the Declaration at the Summit Meeting which she has read to this House?

BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIE

My Lords, the point is that the Spanish Government have not yet applied for membership of the E.E.C., and I said in answer to a question by my noble friend that of course we stood by the Paris Summit Communiqué on the democratic political basis for the further development of the Community.

LORD NUGENT OF GUILDFORD

My Lords, would it not be wise to try to forget objectionable acts in Europe, such as the Spanish civil war, the rape of Hungary and the rave of Czechoslovakia, in the interests of trying to make a better and more friendly Community?

BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIE

My Lords, I quite agree with my noble friend.

LORD SHINWELL

My Lords, why should we object to an anti-democratic country being associated with the E.E.C. when we have the Commission of the E.E.C. which is itself anti-democratic?

BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIE

I am sure that the noble Lord's point will also be taken into account.