§ Mr. Ripponasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will make a statement specifying Her Majesty's Government's present proposals for developing closer European co-operation at Parliamentary and Ministerial level, and indicating the steps which have been, or are to be, taken to implement them; and whether he will attend the meetings of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg to expound and explain Her Majesty's Government's policy.
§ Mr. Selwyn LloydHer Majesty's Government are seeking to promote closer co-operation in Europe. They have put forward in the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation the proposal for a European industrial Free Trade Area. They have sought to bring about fuller and more effective political consultation in both the North Atlantic and Western European Union Councils. They are also exploring the possibility of closer co-operation within Western European Union in the field of defence research and development. They are also co-operating in the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation in the development of the civil use of atomic energy. They have launched the idea of creating a single Assembly for Europe which could help to rationalise the present diversity of Assemblies and concentrate public attention on this valuable aspect of European unity.
My right hon. Friend the Minister of State will represent me in Strasbourg throughout the first part of the Council of Europe Assembly's session, which is due to start on 29th April.