INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION: PARIS CONFERENCE (Hansard, 19 December 1975)

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

§ The MINISTER of STATE, FOREIGN and COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (Lord Goronwy-Roberts)
My Lords, understand that the Conference concluded at 4.30 this morning. It was I decided to set up four Commissions, dealing with Energy, Raw Materials, Development and Financial Questions. Further details of the conclusions of the Conference will be set out in a communiqué and a copy of this will be placed in the Library of the House as soon as I receive it.

§ Lord BROCKWAY
My Lords, while thanking the Minister for that reply, may I ask whether he is aware that I put down this Question today before the House goes into Recess only because of the importance of the Conference? May I ask whether my noble friend can give any report about the discussion during the last two days regarding a new inter 1644 national economic arrangement, and can he confirm that early this morning a compromise was reached with the developing countries regarding the guidelines for the four Commissions?

§ Lord GORONWY-ROBERTS
My Lords, I cannot at this very early stage after the conclusion of the plenary Conference engage in any helpful detail in reply to the noble Lord or to any other noble Lord who understandably may wish to have this information as soon as possible. I do engage to make it known to the House, as doubtless they will in another place, as soon as possible, so that Parliament will know the upshot of this important Conference. As to the points of substance which my noble friend has raised, I have no doubt that the four Commissions which have now been decided on will work on the details of what he has called a new economic arrangement and will then report in due course to the plenary Conference, at which stage we shall be in a better position to assess the final results of this Conference.

§ Lord WIGG
My Lords, will the Minister not agree that the fact that the Government are now arguing for a minimum price of oil places us apart from the rest of our partners in the EEC and in the US and brings us more into line with the OPEC countries? As we are not eligible, and never shall be eligible so far as I can see, to join OPEC, would it not be better for Her Majesty's Government to consider realistically, taking into account our military and economic weakness, that we should join the non-aligned countries on the ground that it is better to be at the top of the second division than at the bottom of the first?

§ Lord GORONWY-ROBERTS
My Lords, I could not agree with my noble friend in what he says or with the implications at the end of his supplementary question. We intend to remain in the first division. As to the question of MSP, we believe that progress will be made on this vital matter in concert with our friends and allies within the Community and in relation to our economic and military strength as a member of NATO.

§ Lord BOOTHBY
My Lords, can the Minister tell us whether the international monetary system, which has now completely broken down, was considered at the Conference?

§ Lord GORONWY-ROBERTS
My Lords, I could not say that it was considered at the plenary Conference except by implication when the decision was reached to set up the four Commissions that I have described. One of the Commissions dealt with financial matters. No doubt the opportunity was taken to argue for the setting up of such a Commission on financial matters by reference to questions such as those raised by the noble Lord. I have no doubt that when that Commission get into these important questions of monetary arrangements their report to the plenary Conference will perhaps be the most important of the four.

§ Lord WIGG
My Lords, will the Minister not agree that, as a result of our decision to join the EEC and our policies —although one can perhaps misuse that word in describing what the Government have been up to in the last few months—this country has now sunk to the level of colonial status without the invigorating stimulus that comes from a section of the Community being in revolt against the dominant Power; and that, on the other hand, we do not get any of the invigoration that comes from acting in tow with a dominant Power but are in suspended animation slipping in strength—in whichever aspect one may regard it—all the time?

§ Lord GORONWY-ROBERTS
My Lords, I could not possibly agree that this country is slipping into a colonial status. We are all responsible for the status to which we aspire or sink as individuals or as countries. A major condition of the strengthening of this country is that we here in this country and our people face up to the economic facts and act accordingly.