§ LORD SHINWELLMy 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 which countries of Western Europe are to be represented at the European Security Conference on November 22.
§ THE MARQUESS OF LOTHIANMy Lords, all Western European countries are expected to be represented at the Preparatory Talks for the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe which will begin in Helsinki on November 22. A complete list of those countries which have been invited will be circulated in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Following is the List referred to:
§ COUNTRIES INVITED TO THE PREPARATORY TALKS FOR THE CONFERENCE ON SECURITY AND CO-OPERATION IN EUROPE.
§ Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Cyprus, Czechoslavakia, Denmark, Eire, Federal Republic of Germany, Finland, France, German Democratic Republic, Greece, the Holy See, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, Yugoslavia.
§ LORD SHINWELLMy Lords, I am obliged to the noble Marquess for that information and I shall read the OFFICIAL REPORT in order to illuminate my mind on the subject. Can the noble Marquess say whether the agenda has been prepared for this Conference, and can he also furnish some information as to the intentions of Her Majesty's Government? What do they intend is likely to result from this Conference—and will he be good enough not merely to tell me "security"?
§ THE MARQUESS OF LOTHIANMy Lords, the Conference, it is hoped, certainly on the part of Her Majesty's Government, will go wider than the question of security. We hope it will deal with such matters as economic and technical cooperation and questions concerning the movement of peoples and ideas in Europe. The agenda for this particular preparatory Conference is, I understand, concerned with these matters, and it will be for this Conference to plan the substantive Conference which we hope will take place next summer.
§ LORD SHINWELLMy Lords, the noble Marquess is suggesting to your Lordships' House that this is something he understands. Is it possible for Members of your Lordships' House to have a glance at the agenda in order to satisfy themselves that there is something substantial in it, or is it simply going to be a lot of vapouring and nothing more, a kind of amorphous discussion?
§ THE MARQUESS OF LOTHIANNo, my Lords, I would not agree at all that it will be an amorphous discussion. It is a preparatory Conference to decide on a specific agenda for the substantive Conference, which, as I say, we hope will be held next summer.
§ LORD MAYBRAY-KINGMy Lords, is the noble Marquess aware that this Conference might be the beginning of something which almost everyone in Europe believes in: the coming together of Eastern and Western Europe?
§ THE MARQUESS OF LOTHIANMy Lords, I am grateful for the comments of the noble Lord, and I entirely agree.
§ LORD BROCKWAYMy Lords, reverting to the Minister's original reply when he referred to Western European countries, may I ask whether that includes the neutral countries of Europe? And does it include other NATO Powers, such as the United States of America and Canada?
§ THE MARQUESS OF LOTHIANYes, my Lords, it includes both those categories.