Home Secretary’s view

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32637, 19 June 1971, Page 17

Home Secretary’s view

(N.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright)

LONDON, June 18.

The British Home Secretary (Mr Reginald Maudling) has said that there will be no particular economic advantage in being a member of the Commonwealth after Britain joins the Common Market.

At a luncheon in London given by the Commonwealth Correspondents' Association, Mr Maudling also made the following points.— The special position of New Zealand remains the biggest factor in Britain’s negotiations. After entry, Britain would retain a constituitional distinction between Commonwealth and non-Cotn-monwealth citizens.

Subject to New Zealand’s interests, special trading relationships between Commonwealth countries and Britain would disappear.

In reply to questions from correspondents, Mr Maudling said: “The link between Britain and the Commonwealth after Britain joins the E.E.C. is bound to be more in the political field, rather than the economic. “The special position of New Zealand is obviously the biggest remaining .factor In the negotiations: When Britain joins the Common Market, the special trading relationships with Common-

wealth countries will disappear, subject to the particular interests of New Zealand, but we will retain in the constitutional field a distinction of great importance between Commonwealh and non-Com-monwealth citizens. “A New Zealander who is here, for instance, will be able to vote, whereas a Frenchman who will be able to enter Britain after Market entry will not be able to.”

Mr Maudling said that the Commonwealth relationship was one of practice, sentiment, experience, common interests and common viewpoint, and he went on. “I can’t say when we join the Community there will be any particular economic advantage in Commonwealth membership, but I think that the Commonwealth will benefit because what matters most to it is how strong we are.” Mr Maudling said that there

had not yet been any discussion with the Six on the role of the Commonwealth citizen visiting Europe, but, he emphasised, that under the proposed Immigration Bill there would be no basic change in granting work permits to visitors to Britain. “The basic criterion of allowing anyone to come here! and granting a work permit is whether the job which this person wants can be done by someone already here,” he said. “But we shall be tightening up to some extent on the admission of unskilled people for permanent employment.”