§ Mr. Pounderasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what is the policy of the Government with regard to Recommendation No. 441 on the ratification of the European Code of Social Security and Protocol thereto which was adopted by the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe on 1st October, 1965; and whether they will instruct their permanent representative in the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe to vote in favour of the proposals contained in this recommendation.
§ Mr. MulleyThe Recommendation has already been transmitted to Governments by the Committee of Ministers. We signed the European Code of Social Security on 14th March. A copy will be laid in the House as soon as it is printed. We hope to ratify the Code shortly afterwards.
§ Mr. Pounderasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what is the policy of the Government with regard to Recommendation No. 488 on the general policy of the Council of Europe which was adopted by the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe on 26th April, 1967; and whether they will instruct their permanent representative in the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe to vote in favour of the proposals contained in this recommendation.
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§ Mr. MulleyWe are, of course, generally in favour of the type of European co-operation proposed in this Recommendation. But how this can best be achieved needs careful thought. The Committee of Ministers is still considering its reply to the Assembly.
§ Mr. Pounderasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what is the policy of the Government with regard to Recommendation No. 489 on peace research which was adopted by the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe on 26th April, 1967; and whether they will instruct their permanent representative in the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe to vote in favour of the proposals contained in this recommendation.
§ Mr. MulleyWe welcome the interest which the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe is showing in peace research as a possible contribution to the establishment of world peace and security. We support the principles expressed in Recommendation 489 in so far as they seem likely to contribute to this end. Centres for peace research already exist in the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. Pounderasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what is the policy of the Government with regard to Recommendation No. 490 on the measures aimed at lightening the debt burden of the developing countries which was adopted by the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe on 27th April, 1967; and whether they will instruct their permanent representative in the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe to vote in favour of the proposals contained in this recommendation.
§ Mr. MulleyThe debt burdens of individual developing countries are important influences on the flow of resources for development, and this will certainly be taken into account by the Permanent United Kingdom Representative during the discussions in the Committee of Ministers' Deputies.
§ Mr. Pounderasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what is the policy of the Government with regard to Recommendation No. 492 on European civil aviation problems which was 121W adopted by the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe on 27th April, 1967; and whether they will instruct their permanent representative in the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe to vote in favour of the proposals contained in this recommendation.
§ Mr. MulleyThe matters referred to in Recommendation 492 require further consideration by the European Civil Aviation Conference. Our Permanent Representative in Strasbourg will be instructed to agree to the Recommendation being transmitted to the European Civil Aviation Conference for this purpose.
§ Mr. Pounderasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what is the policy of the Government with regard to Recommendation No. 493 on the contribution of the Assembly to the promulgation and launching of the Water Charter which was adopted by the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe on 28th April, 1967; and whether they will instruct their permanent representative in the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe to vote in favour of the proposals contained in this recommendation.
§ Mr. MulleyThe Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe have accepted the principles laid down in Recommendation 493. Her Majesty's Government support the idea of a Water Charter, and the National Parks Commission, in co-operation with the responsible authorities, has undertaken to coordinate United Kingdom efforts to the proposed publicity campaign.
§ Mr. Pounderasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what is the policy of the Government with regard to Recommendation No. 494 on the consequences of the wreck of the "Torrey Canyon" which was adopted by the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe on 28th April, 1967; and whether they will instruct their permanent representative in the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe to vote in favour of the proposals contained in this recommendation.
§ Mr. MulleyHer Majesty's Government welcome the interest and concern shown by the Council of Europe in the problem of oil pollution and will instruct our delegate to support their recommendation on this subject.
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§ Mr. Pounderasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what is the policy of the Government with regard to Resolution No. 319 on relations between the Consultative Assembly and national parliaments which was adopted by the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe on 26th September, 1966; and what action the Government proposes to take on paragraph (b) of this resolution.
§ Mr. MulleyWe are in favour of associating national Parliaments with the work of the Council of Europe. In this respect our own Parliamentary delegation to the Consultative Assembly has an important part to play. The action envisaged in paragraph 7(b) of Resolution 319 is, however, scarcely feasible in the United Kingdom owing to the shortage of Parliamentary time. Moreover, all the documents of the Assembly, including the statutory annual report of the Committee of Ministers, are available in the Library.
§ Mr. Pounderasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what is the policy of the Government with regard to Order No. 256 on the general policy of the Council of Europe on 26th April, 1967; and whether they will support the action which the Bureau of the Consultative Assembly will undertake following the instructions of the Assembly.
§ Mr. MulleyWe have noted what was said in the Consultative Assembly on the subject of Greece, which reflects the widespread concern among Greece's friends and allies over recent events in that country and the particular concern of European Parliaments and Parliamentarians over the future of Parliamentary democracy in Greece. No recommendations on the subject have been put to the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on which Her Majesty's Government are represented but we are following with interest the action being taken by the Bureau of the Consultative Assembly in accordance with paragraph 3 of the Order.