asked the Minister for External Affairs if he will state what exchanges of information or what preliminary discussions in preparation for the Ottawa Conference have taken place with either the Australian, Canadian, New Zealand or South African Governments.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Ottawa Conference.
No conversations have taken place with the Governments mentioned in preparation for the Ottawa Conference. We have had suggestions from the Australian and Southern Rhodesian Governments for conversations. We have replied that we hoped that these conversations could take place in Ottawa either before the Conference or during the intervals between the Conference Meetings.
asked the Minister for External Affairs if he will indicate (1) what preparations have been made for the Ottawa Conference by the establishment of special committees in the Departments of State mainly concerned with economic and financial matters; and (2) what consultations there have been with home producers, so as to have the key points affecting them discussed and their conception of their needs canvassed.
Memoranda have been prepared for the Ottawa Conference under the direction of a Committee of Ministers and a Committee of Heads of Departments.
The Conference will deal mainly with the general principles governing intra-Commonwealth trade and the occasion for detailed consultation with home producers will not arise until detailed trade agreements are being discussed with the Members of the Commonwealth separately. It is most unlikely that at the coming Conference such detailed agreements can be made, as each one of them would require far more time and care than it would be possible to give to it during a general conference.
Would the President state who compose this Committee of Ministers and Committee of Civil Servants?
The Committee of Ministers is composed of:—The Minister for External Affairs, the Minister for Industry and Commerce, the Minister for Finance and the Minister for Agriculture. I think that is about all. The Committee of the Heads of Departments is composed of the Secretaries of the Departments concerned.
How long has this Committee been sitting?
It originated about a month or two ago.
It is not proposed to have any arrangements made with any of the Governments whom it is expected the Saorstát delegation will meet at the Conference?
How arrangements made? I do not see the point in question.
Would the President read the latter part of his reply?
Yes. "It is most unlikely that at the coming Conference such detailed agreements can be made, as each one of them would require far more time and care than it would be possible to give to it during a general conference." In other words, it is expected that once the general conference is settled there will be much more detailed discussion on these matters than is possible at the general conference.
There has not been any discussion with home producers as regards the principles that would underlie these agreements?
The Ministers in question have no doubt had discussions with the home producers.
I would rather that the President had been more precise than he has been merely in saying that no doubt there had been discussions. Have there been consultations between the home producers and the Ministers as to these principles?
As part of their work.
But there have been no detailed discussions?
I am not aware myself.