most brilliant of the session. The Bureau had set up a small working party to look at the constitution and statutes of the Socialist International and to prepare recommendations for the Congress to be held in 1980. The Chairman of the Working Party would be Felipe Gonzalez. The major subject of debate had however been employment policy. Herr Schmidt had made a major speech arguing that inflation was the basic cause of unemployment and that it was therefore necessary for governments to combat inflation as their first priority. Mrs Castle interjected that she had intervened at this point because she had felt that it was necessary for NEC policy to be put over. She had argued for a world plan to stimulate growth on a country by country basis, with clear import penetration ceilings being established. She had said that the Labour Party in Britain should take the initiative in calling for planning world trade and world growth. Mrs Castle said that she had last attended a Socialist International meeting in 1959 and had noted a dramatic change in the organisation. Herr Brandt's Chairmanship had been outstanding and she had been impressed by the extent to which parties from outside Europe were now taking an active part in the work of the International. She saw the deliberations of the International on, for example, employment policy, as a good way of influencing the British Government.
SOCIALIST INTERNATIONAL ROUND TABLE ON THE MIDDLE EAST, VIENNA, 12 FEBRUARY
8.
A written report was circulated together with the text of Mr Ian Mikardo's speech. Mr Mikardo said that his main object in attending had been to prevent Chancellor Kreisky from acting rashly and to ensure that there was no lengthy communiqué. He had succeeded in both of these objectives. The meeting had been useful and constructive.
SOCIALIST INTERNATIONAL HELSINKI DISARMAMENT CONFERENCE, 24-26 APRIL
9.
Ms Little told the Committee that the Finnish Social Democratic Party were especially keen that Dr Owen should attend and make a major speech. Mr Hayward confirmed that he had had two phone calls from his Finnish opposite number in which he had pressed Mr Hayward to encourage the Secretary of State to attend. Mr Heffer was not sure whether this was a good idea. Ministers would put Cabinet policy not Party policy and he had been particularly alarmed when Mr Albert Booth had attended a Socialist International meeting and not spoken on NEC policy at all. There was nothing personal in this;
it was a matter of principle. Mr Mikardo said that he opposed Mr Heffer for two reasons. First of all, this was a specific proposal that had been made and to which the Committee had to reply, and, secondly, Mr David Owen's views were appreciated and would be listened to. Mr Allaun agreed, adding that he would never be a party to the Secretary of State for Defence being included in a party delegation of this sort. After discussion, it was agreed that the Party should press Dr Owen to join the Labour Party delegation and that, if he were unable to travel to Helsinki on Foreign Office business the Party should pay his expenses. The delegation would be led by Mr Frank Allaun MP who would be accompanied by Ms
Little.
2 -
./DEFENCE