§ Mr. Critchleyasked the Lord Privy Seal what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards Council of Europe recommendation 861—intensification of co-operation between the countries of northern and southern Europe.
§ Mr. HurdThe Government share the view expressed in the recommendation about the importance of improving the political, economic, and social balance in Europe. They note with approval that the Committee of Ministers agreed at Strasbourg in May last to examine at their next meeting in November how to strengthen co-operation between the regions of Europe.
§ Mr. Critchleyasked the Lord Privy Seal if Her Majesty's Government will place on the agenda of the Council of Ministers in the Council of Europe (a) the setting up of a working party of Ministers to study, together with the appro- 462W priate Assembly sub-committees, the means of intensifying co-operation between the countries of Northern and Southern Europe, (b) a proposal for a meeting of Heads of Government to consider the matter of support for the least-developed members of the Council, (c) the adoption of the Assembly's proposal for priority within the next medium-term plan, 1980 to 1985 and the annual work programme of the council to activities of interest to Mediterranean or other peripheral States, and (d) the adoption of the Assembly's proposal to ensure that the Council's resettlement fund can respond to the renewed interest being shown by some member States.
§ Mr. HurdNo. The proposals outlined above are among those contained in Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly recommendation 861—intensification of co-operation between the countries of northern and southern Europe—which is already under study by the Committee of Ministers Deputies of the Council of Europe in preparation for the next meeting of the Committee of Ministers in Strasbourg in November. At this meeting measures to strengthen regional co-operation in Europe will be examined.