§ Mr. Deakinsasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he intends to negotiate with the European Economic Community on the terms of the association arrangements for Commonwealth countries.
§ Mr. RipponWe have secured in the negotiations the renewal of the Community's 1963 Declaration of Intent for all the independent Commonwealth countries in Africa and the Caribbean, and for Mauritius, Fiji, Western Samoa and Tonga. This offers each of these countries the opportunity of negotiations with the enlarged Community including the United Kingdom on arrangements which could include full association. These negotiations could begin at any time but since the Community have agreed to the maintenance of thestatus quo in our trading relations with these countries until the renegotation of the Yaoundé Convention in 1973, we would not expect these negotiations to begin until then.
§ Mr. Deakinsasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the Asian countries of the Commonwealth have yet decided their policy as to associated status with an enlarged European Economic Community.
§ Mr. RipponWe have not, since their position was considered in the negotiations, had any indication from Asian Commonwealth countries of how they intend to conduct their trading policies in relation to an enlarged Community. No doubt they will be guided by the Community's offer to examine with them, after enlargement, problems in the field376W of trade with a view to reaching appropriate solutions and the Community's wish to expand and reinforce their trading relationships with these countries. As I told the hon. Member on 8th June, associate status is not open to Asian members of the Commonwealth.—[Vol. 818, c. 317.]
§ Mr. Deakinsasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals he has now made to the European Economic Community regarding the safeguarding of United Kingdom fishing interests between the six-mile and 12-mile limits.
§ Mr. RipponGiven that Belgium, France, the Federal Republic of Germany, the Netherlands and the other applicants for European Economic Community membership have certain historic fishing rights within the 6–12 mile belt, it is considered that our existing conservation and policing regulations, which already apply to vessels of these countries fishing within the belt, would continue to be used to safeguard fishing stocks in these areas. These regulations could be supplemented on a non-discriminating basis if the danger of over-fishing arose.
§ Mr. Deakinsasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps are taken by the Government, in view of the grants paid out of public funds, to ensure that the material published by the European Movement achieves the same degree of factual accuracy as the Factsheets on Britain and Europe.
§ Mr. RipponThe Foreign and Commonwealth Office satisfy themselves that the grant-in-aid given to the European Movement is spent for the purposes for which it is provided. These are to assist in organising exchanges of views with other Europeans. The grant is not available for publicity work directed at opinion in the United Kingdom.