HL Deb 21 January 1974 vol 348 cc1184-6

2.38 p.m.

LORD O'HAGAN

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 have studied the recent opinion poll organised by the E.E.C. which showed that 31 per cent. of those questioned in Great Britain thought that belonging to the E.E.C. was a good thing for the country.

THE MINISTER OF STATE, FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIE)

My Lords, Her Majesty's Government have seen reports of this and other polls on aspects of the United Kingdom's membership of the European Communities.

LORD O'HAGAN

My Lords, if the noble Baroness and the Government have seen this opinion poll which was organised by the Commission of the E.E.C., did they also observe that only 34 per cent, of those polled in this country were actively opposed to our membership of she E.E.C? Since there is such a small percentage between those who are for and those who are against our membership, would she take this as an indication that the Government should make a much more vigorous effort to explain the advantages of our membership to the people of this country?

BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR of BELHELVIE

My Lords, I thought it was a very interesting comment on the value, or otherwise, of opinion polls. We are very conscious of the importance of putting across the case for European membership, but it is a fact that many people sometimes attribute to our entry into the Community difficulties which arise from matters quite outside the Community.

LORD GLADWYN

My Lords, in addition to what the noble Lord, Lord O'Hagan, recommends, would the noble Baroness consider explaining to the less well informed members of the electorate what would be the appalling consequences, political, economic and social, of any attempted withdrawal on our part from the European Economic Community; and the still more appalling effect of any collapse of the European Economic Community itself, involving no doubt, a reversion to the conditions of 1931?

BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR of BELHELVIE

My Lords, I would entirely agree with the noble Lord, Lord Gladwyn. Now that we are a member of the Community, whatever the difficulties, it would be disastrous if we sought to withdraw.

LORD BLYTON

My Lords, is the noble Baroness aware that the majority of people in England are against the Market? Is she further aware that the imbalance of trade between the Common Market and ourselves is becoming some- what colossal, and is now over 100 per cent. worse than it was before we joined? Does not the noble Baroness feel that we ought to think of Britain rather than the vague idea of a United Europe?

BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR or BELHELVIE

My Lords, we hope of course to do both. But the fact remains that a recent survey showed that 84 per cent. of leading companies considered that membership of the Community would be helpful in the long term, and we always knew that there would be difficulties to start with.

LORD SHEPHERD

My Lords, would not the noble Baroness agree that one of the difficulties for the uneducated section of the general public is the uncertainty about what the E.E.C. is up to? Does she remember that she reported that the Council of Ministers had rejected the French claim for an immediate increase of 10 per cent. in the price of beef and yet a few days later we had the Commission making a recommendation to the effect that there should be this 10 per cent. increase? Can the noble Baroness make the uneducated section of the public aware of the situation: that Her Majesty's Government, in the light of the present high prices of meat, will still reject any suggestion of any further increases by the Commission?

BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR of BELHELVIE

My Lords, it would not be for me to comment on this particular subject because to-day there is a Council of Ministers of Agriculture meeting at Brussels.

LORD CROOK

My Lords, can the Minister tell us who chose the 14,000 people who were questioned last September?

BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR of BELHELVIE

My Lords, the companies to which I referred related to an Economist survey. If the noble Lord is referring to the particular poll, this was done on behalf of the European Community as a whole.