§ Q36. Mr. Pardoeasked the Prime Minister if he is satisfied with progress in the negotiations on the commodity agreement arising out of the speech he made to the Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference at Kingston, Jamaica.
§ Mr. Edward ShortI have been asked to reply.
Yes. Since Kingston, the Government have been pressing forward with their proposals on commodities, and we are satisfied with the progress achieved so far. We are having useful discussions with our EEC and OECD partners. Discussions are taking place today at the European Council Heads of Government meeting. We hope that there will be constructive debate on commodities at the seventh special session of the United Nations General Assembly in September. Our aim is still to secure a broad and comprehensive approach to commodities trade on the lines which my right hon. Friend suggested at Kingston.