§ Lord BROCKWAYMy Louis, I beg leave to ask the second Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government what conclusions were reached at the meeting of the Commonwealth Heads of State.
§ Lord GORONWY-ROBERTSMy Lords, my right honourable friends the Prime Minister and the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary attended the meeting of Commonwealth Heads of Government held at Kingston from 29th April to 6th May. Thirty-three Common-wealth Governments were represented and the meeting was one of the most important and successful Commonwealth meetings ever held. Much of the time was spent on economic matters and on the problems of Southern Africa, and on both a substantial measure of agreement was reached. My right honourable friend has already presented to the House a White Paper setting out in detail the proposals on primary commodities which he put to his Commonwealth colleagues. The outcome of the discussions on these and other subjects is described in the Communiqué issued at the end of the meeting and published as a White Paper today.
§ Lord BROCKWAYMy Lords, I thank the Minister for that Answer. Is he aware that many of us wish to congratulate the Prime Minister and the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary on the unprecedented success of this 600 Commonwealth Conference and that we regard the Communiqué which they issued—covering nearly every issue in the world, from nuclear arms to Southern Africa and on to commodity agreements—as a model for a foreign policy? Would the Minister agree not only to publish the White Paper but to include this important Communiqué in the Official Report of our proceedings?
§ Lord GORONWY-ROBERTSMy Lords, I shall certainly consider how the Communiqué as such can be made available in an accessible form for the House. As to what my noble friend had to say about the unprecedented success of this Conference, I can do no better than personally to draw the attention of my two right honourable friends to the terms of my noble friend's encomium.
§ Lord SHINWELLMy Lords, in view of the impression arising in several quarters that there has been an attempt to create the impression that the Commonwealth is no longer of any consequence—in the Press and other media, and even in the ranks of politicians on both sides of the political fence—may I ask my noble friend to agree that it is very satisfactory that the Commonwealth seems to have revived and is capable of exerting considerable moral influence, if no other influence, throughout the civilised world?
§ Lord GORONWY-ROBERTSMy Lords, I entirely agree with what my noble friend has said. There has been a tendency to knock the Commonwealth. This is most unjustified and, indeed, the course of discussion at this very successful Conference was such that one Commonwealth country after another spoke with great enthusiasm of the value of the Commonwealth to their countries and their confidence and hope for the future.
§ Earl COWLEYMy Lords, can the noble Lord say what amount Britain is required to pay in financial assistance to Mozambique after 25th June when that country imposes sanctions?
§ Lord GORONWY-ROBERTSMy Lords, I am not in a position to give the figures for which the noble Earl has asked. The Communiqué makes it quite clear that the Heads of Government of 601 the Commonwealth are in favour of assisting Mozambique in every way to play its part as an independent country in the effort to secure—preferably by peaceful means—a just and lasting settlement in Southern Africa.
§ The Earl of ONSLOWMy Lords, will the noble Lord confirm that the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting encouraged the United Kingdom to stay in the European Community and gave no indication of being able to produce an alternative cheap food policy?
§ Lord GORONWY-ROBERTSYes, indeed, my Lords. We did not raise this matter ourselves, but a number of Heads of Government raised it from their own point of view and it was unanimously agreed that the Prime Minister of Jamaica, as Chairman of the Meeting, should issue a separate Statement recording that all the other Heads of Government had placed on record their firm opinion that Commonwealth interests were in no way prejudiced by our membership. The Statement added that many Heads of Government had emphasised that it was of positive advantage to their countries that Britain should remain a member of the EEC. It also indicated that a strong view had been expressed that British membership was of value in encouraging the Community to be outward-looking towards the rest of the world.
§ Lord SHINWELLMy Lords, can my noble friend indicate whether the Commonwealth countries are resolved to maintain their independence in contrast to the likelihood that the United Kingdom will lose its independence?
§ Lord GORONWY-ROBERTSMy Lords, I am sure that all Commonwealth countries, including this country—which is a founder member of the Commonwealth—will seek to maintain their essential independence while at the same time welcoming international arrangements such as the Lomé Convention, which is of benefit to all Commonwealth countries.
§ Baroness LLEWELYN-DAVIES of HASTOEHear, hear!
§ Lord MERRIVALEMy Lords, can the Minister confirm that the talks took 602 place under one of the six main provisions of the Lomé Convention; that is, the stabilisation of export receipts from food and raw materials, secured supplies, improved access to markets and equitable prices? Also, can the Minister say whether, in effect, any consideration was given to another aspect of the Lomé Convention; that is, industrial co-operation? Can he say anything about this, as the EEC has identified 125 transferable industrial activities?
§ Lord GORONWY-ROBERTSMy Lords, the Lomé Convention was hailed as a major achievement during the meeting in question. In particular, the points raised by the noble Lord, Lord Merrivale, were widely and warmly acclaimed. I would add that the Heads of Government were particularly grateful to this country for the leadership it had given in framing the Lomé decisions.
§ Viscount AMORYMy Lords, will the noble Lord accept that the success of the meeting, as indicated by the Communiqué, is something at which every single Member of this House will rejoice, regardless of Party?
§ Lord BROCKWAYMy Lords, reverting to my noble friend's statement regarding the Commonwealth countries' attitude to the European Community, may I ask whether it is not a fact that they began by making it clear that they did not want to interfere in our referendum in any way? Secondly, is it not also a fact that while indicating that their interests were not prejudiced by our memberships, many—not all and not most—said that they thought membership would be of value?
Lord GORONVVY-ROBERTSCertainly, my Lords, the Commonwealth countries, being independent sovereign States like ourselves, made it quite clear that they did not want to interfere with our decisions, any more than we should with their decisions. It is rather revealing that all the Heads of State at the meeting went out of their way, without any prompting from us, to say that their interests were not prejudiced by our membership. Furthermore, many of them 603 said that a decision to stay in the Community, on the terms that we have negotiated and with the outlook that we proposed to take into the Community, would be helpful to them and that they wished us to stay in.
§ Lord SLATERMy Lords, can my noble friend say whether, during this Commonwealth get-together, there was placed on the agenda the specific point which he has mentioned regarding the EEC and the observations of those countries which are now classified as independent territories? Was there anything on the agenda for debate and discussion by the members of the Commonwealth in regard to the EEC and in regard to what Britain was seeking to do on this occasion?
§ Lord GORONWY-ROBERTSMy Lords, I referred to independent countries and was careful to refer to Britain as one of those independent countries. The question of Britain's membership of the EEC was not on the agenda. Therefore, no mention of it was made in the Communiqué but, after the matter had been raised by a number of Prime Ministers, it was agreed unanimously that the Prime Minister of Jamaica, as the Chairman of the meeting, should make the Statement which he made.