HL Deb 16 July 1974 vol 353 cc1004-5
LORD BROCKWAY

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 for a Statement on the discussions at the 35-nation Conference on Security and Co-operation.

LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS

My Lords, the Conference has made some progress but much still remains to be done. We shall continue to work patiently and constructively with our allies to obtain satisfactory results in all areas of the work of the Conference.

LORD BROCKWAY

My Lords, while thanking my noble friend for that reply, may I ask two separate questions. First, do the agreements already reached include the proposal that after a Summit Meeting there should be continuing commissions so that security and co-operation can be progressively resumed?

LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS

My Lords, the decisions or recommendations have not so far been formalised. They will be formalised towards the end of Stage 2 and will be adopted for ratification at proper Ministerial level. I should like to say how very strongly I agree, and I am sure Her Majesty's Government agree, with the suggestion of my noble friend Lord Brockway, that there should be continuing commissions to see that agreements in this vital area are in fact implemented and added to as occasion offers in the future.

LORD BROCKWAY

My Lords, I thank my noble friend for that answer. May I now ask whether it is the case that the greatest difficulty in the present discussions relates to freedom of movement, of ideas, and of information? Would it not be possible to find a form of words so that those freedoms which we all desire can progressively take place as trust extends as a result of the work of the continuing commissions, to which my noble friend has referred?

LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS

My Lords, human freedom is of paramount importance, especially freedom of movement and the reunification of families, with which is joined the whole question of the exchange of culture and information. A search is now going on for the form of words referred to by my noble friend Lord Brockway. Hopefully, after achieving a syntactical agreement we may move to practical action.