§ Mr. Pounderasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government with regard to Recommendation No. 507 on European space policy and satellite applications which was adopted by the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe on 29th January 1968; and if he will instruct the United Kingdom Permanent Representative in the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe to vote in favour of the proposals contained in this recommendation.
§ Mr. Goronwy RobertsThis Recommendation will be taken into account in preparing for the forthcoming 3rd Conference of the European Space Ministers in Bonn, in July.
Her Majesty's Government are seeking, through the European Conference on Satellite Communications, a common European policy on definitive arrangements for a global commercial communications satellite system.
The European Space Conference in Rome in 1967 set up an Advisory Committee on Programmes to frame proposals for the establishment of a European Space policy. The Committee's report has been 193W placed in the Library and Her Majesty's Government are considering it preparatory to the Bonn Conference.
Her Majesty's Government fully support the concept of World Weather Watch and intend to play a full part in its implementation.
My right hon. Friend the Postmaster-General has welcomed the idea of periodic meetings of European Ministers responsible for telecommunications.
Some discussion on the use of satellites for educational and cultural purposes has already taken place in the Council for Cultural Co-operation and the Council is now considering, with the support of Her Majesty's Government, how this discussion can best be pursued on a practical basis.