§ Mr. Spearingasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement concerning the progress of the Protocol 22 negotiations of the EEC and Associable States with particular reference to the declaration of the EEC to take account of Commonwealth nations which were party to the Commonwealth Sugar Agreement.
§ Mr. HattersleyThe Council of Ministers will, we hope, take early decisions on the remaining major issues in the Protocol 22 negotiations. The aim is to conclude these negotiations at plenipotentiary level by the end of November, as agreed at the Kingston conference in late July. As regards the important question 263W of the future arrangements for Commonwealth sugar imports, we shall be pressuring for decisions to be taken in the November Councils of Foreign and Agriculture Ministers. I am confidence that we shall achieve agreement to offer access for 1.4 million tons annually at a fair price.