§ Mr. Carol Johnsonasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards Recommendation 410 on European Economic Problems, which was adopted by the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe on 28th January, 1965; and what action Her Majesty's Government have taken, or propose to take on it.
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§ Mr. PadleyHer Majesty's Government continue to participate actively in the co-ordination of national economic and financial policies in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the International Monetary Fund and elsewhere, and they are anxious to strengthen the international monetary system. They are playing a full and constructive part in the industrial negotiations in the Kennedy Round, as the shortness of the United Kingdom's exceptions List shows. They are also eager to secure progress on the agricultural side of the Kennedy Round, and are ready to table an offers list as soon as the other leading contracting parties are in a position to do so.
§ Mr. Carol Johnsonasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards Recommendation 406, which was adopted by the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe on 26th January, 1965; and what action Her Majesty's Government have taken, or contemplate taking, in regard to it.
§ Mr. PadleyHer Majesty's Government fully accept the importance of concluding agreements on the non-dissemination of nuclear weapons and on the extention of the partial test ban treaty so as to cover underground testing. They believe, however, that a special conference of nuclear powers would not accelerate and might well retard the conclusion of these agreements. As for the suggestion that verification procedures could be settled after the conclusion of provisional agreements, there would be some serious practical objections to this course, which might also be an unhelpful precedent in the long run. Her Majesty's Government, however, hope that, when the Geneva Disarmament Conference resumes, proposals can be put forward which will provide a basis for the conclusion of agreements in these fields.
§ Mr. Carol Johnsonasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards Recommendation 407, concerning the present crisis in the United Nations, which was adopted by the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe on 26th January, 1965; and what action Her Majesty's Government have taken, or propose to take, in regard to it.
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§ Mr. PadleyHer Majesty's Government share the concern expressed in the Recommendation at the grave crisis of the United Nations, and fully accept that all member States should do their utmost to solve the difficulties by negotiation. My noble Friend Lord Caradon has played a leading part in the recent negotiations in New York, in close consultation with his colleagues. These negotiations have resulted in the setting up of a Special Committee on peace-keeping which we hope will use the period of adjournment of the General Assembly, to negotiate a solution.
§ Mr. Carol Johnsonasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards Recommendation 408 on European political union, which was adopted by the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe on 26th January, 1965; and what action Her Majesty's Government have taken, or contemplate taking, on such Recommendation.
§ Mr. PadleyHer Majesty's Government welcome Recommendation 408 to the extent that the principle of European political union on the broadest possible basis and the inclusion of the United Kingdom in discussion of the political future of Europe are recognised in it.
§ Mr. Carol Johnsonasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards Recommendation 409 on action to secure the release of political prisoners in Central and Eastern Europe, which was adopted by the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe on 27th January, 1965; and what action Her Majesty's Government propose to take in regard to it.
§ Mr. PadleyHer Majesty's Government share the concern of the Consultative Assembly about political prisoners and welcome the attention drawn to the question by this Recommendation.
As regards direct governmental intervention, we have to consider whether this would be helpful. I do not believe it would be right to commit ourselves to a general proposition that Governments should intervene officially.
§ Mr. Carol Johnsonasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what is the 10W policy of Her Majesty's Government towards Recommendation 412, on the present situation in Roumania, which was adopted by the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe on 28th January, 1965; and what action to expand commercial and cultural relations with that country Her Majesty's Government have taken or propose to take.
§ Mr. PadleyIt is the desire of Her Majesty's Government to develop relations in all possible ways with the countries of Eastern Europe. At the discussions which we shall be having with the Roumanians later this year, we shall continue our efforts to expand our trade and cultural relations with that country.
§ Mr. Carol Johnsonasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards Recommendation 416, on measures to make the European Convention on Human Rights more effective, which was adopted by the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe on 28th January, 1965; and what action Her Majesty's Government have taken, or contemplate taking, on such Recommendation.
§ Mr. PadleyAs my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister told the hon. Member for Worthing (Mr. Higgins) on 9th February, the Government are looking into the matter of the two optional provisions of the European Human Rights Convention.
With regard to the possibility of appointing a national official to report on human rights matters, the Convention already lays down a procedure whereby a contracting party is required to furnish the Secretary General with information on the way in which its internal law ensures the implementation of the provisions of the Convention.
The United Nations Human Rights Commission will consider at its next session, which begins on 22nd March, amendments recommended by the Committee on Periodic Reports to the procedure for reporting to the United Nations on human rights matters. We propose to await the outcome of the Commission's discussions before considering paragraph three of the Recommendation of the Consultative Assembly.
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§ Mr. Carol Johnsonasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards Recommendation 418, on the Hague Convention, concerning the powers of authorities and the law applicable in respect of the protection of infants, which was adopted by the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe on 28th January, 1965; and whether, in view of the terms of such Recommendation. Her Majesty's Government will now accede to such Convention.
§ Mr. PadleyWhile Her Majesty's Government sympathise with the humanitarian objectives of this Convention, they have not found it acceptable.
One reason for this is that the Convention is in certain respects inconsistent with the paramount principle of English law concerning the guardianship of infants, which places the main emphasis on the protection of the interests of the infant rather than on considerations of nationality and habitual residence.
Her Majesty's Government do not therefore intend to accede to the Convention.
§ Mr. Carol Johnsonasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards Recommendation 421, on the initial measures for the achievement of free movement of manpower within Europe, which was adopted by the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe on 29th January, 1965; and what action Her Majesty's Government contemplate taking in regard to it.
§ Mr. PadleyHer Majesty's Government are playing an active part in the study of this question on which the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development is already engaged. It is in their view undesirable for the Council of Europe to duplicate this work.