§ Lord BROCKWAYMy 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 what progress has been made at the Vienna conference on East-West co-operation in trade, energy, science and technology.
§ Baroness LLEWELYN-DAVIES of HASTOEMy Lords, discussions were held at the Vienna conference on all the topics to which my noble friend has referred and on the environment. No decisions of substance were taken on East-West co-operation in any of these individual areas, but the conference agreed that a permanent body should be established in Vienna to co-ordinate future activities within the existing framework.
§ Lord BROCKWAYMy Lords, I welcome the last part of that Answer. However, has any agreement been reached regarding the linking of electrical power stations across the borders and the pooling of energy reserves? Would not that go far to realise the core of the Helsinki Act which saw economic co-operation as the basis for disarmament and peace?
§ Baroness LLEWELYN-DAVIES of HASTOEMy Lords, I do not have the detailed knowledge for which my noble friend has asked, but I absolutely agree with him that the Helsinki Final Act acknowledges that the Economic Commission for Europe is the proper place for these discussions to take place. We all know how deeply important it is that we should get a world consensus on our energy problems.