HC Deb 23 June 1969 vol 785 cc182-4W
34. Mr. Luard

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government concerning the conference on the future of Intelsat shortly to be resumed in Washington.

50. Mr. Eldon Griffiths

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, at the forthcoming Conference in Washington, he will seek a larger share for Great Britain in the future organisation of Intelsat.

Mr. Mulley

It is the policy of Her Majesty's Government to build on the firm foundation provided by the Intelsat Interim Agreement and to work for a new constitution which will give member states a greater measure of responsibility in determining policy and afford fair opportunities in the supply of equipment for the system.

Mr. Rhodes

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what preparations Her Majesty's Government are making for the Intelsat renegotiations in November 1969; whether he will seek to convene a meeting of the European Space Conference or C.E.T.S. to agree tasks for the European space organisations and industries in the field of telecommunications by satellite; and what steps he is taking to promote collaboration between European and United States space organisations for assisting developing countries in the use of satellite television systems.

Mr. Mulley

Her Majesty's Government will play an active part in meetings of the Intelsat Preparatory Committee, whose task it is to try to reach the basis of agreement on a permanent charter for the organisation prior to a second plenary conference scheduled for November. The Committee of Senior Officials of the European Space Conference is drawing up a programme of collaborative activities including projects in the satellite telecommunications field. Assistance to developing countries in the use of television broadcasting satellites was a major issue at the United Nations Outer Space Conference held in Vienna in 1968. Detailed consideration of this question is being given by other United Nations bodies to whose work the United Kingdom, United States and other European countries are contributing.