§ Mr. Kenneth Clarkeasked the Secretary of State for Industry why he failed to call any meeting of the Council of Ministers to discuss industrial policy matters throughout the entire period of Great Britain's presidency of the EEC.
Mr. Alan WilliamsThe Council of Ministers (Foreign Affairs) is competent to deal with all questions as required, including industrial policy matters. Several such matters were handled by the Council during the United Kingdom Presidency, including steel and shipbuilding but there was at no time a sufficient body of industrial policy matters requiring the Council's attention to justify calling a special meeting of the Council attended by Industry Ministers.