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(c) crown copyright Catalogue Reference:CAB/128/44 Image Reference:0039 THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HER BRITANNIC MAJESTY'8 GOVERNMENT Printed for the Cabinet. April 1970 CC (69) 39th Conclusions Copy No. CABINET CONCLUSIONS of a Meeting of the Cabinet held at 10 Downing Street, S.W.1, on Wednesday, 30th July, 1969, at 10.30 am. Present: The Right Hon. HAROLD WILSON, MP, Prime Minister The Right Hon. MICHAEL STEWART, The Right Hon. ROY JENKINS, MP, M p, Secretary of State for Foreign Chancellor of the Exchequer and Commonwealth Affairs The Right Hon. LORD GARDINER, Lord The Right Hon. RICHARD CROSSMAN, Chancellor M P, Secretary of State for Social Services The Right Hon. BARBARA CASTLE, M P, The Right Hon. JAMES CALLAGHAN, First Secretary of State and Secretary MP, Secretary of State for the Home of State for Employment and Department Productivity The Right Hon. FRED PEART, MP, The Right Hon. PETER SHORE, MP , Lord President of the Council Secretary of State for Economic Affairs The Right Hon. ANTHONY CROSLAND, The Right Hon. WILLIAM ROSS, MP, M p, President of the Board of Trade Secretary of State for Scotland The Right Hon. GEORGE THOMSON, The Right Hon. EDWARD SHORT, MP, M p, Minister without Portfolio Secretary of State for Education and Science The Right Hon. ANTHONY WEDGWOOD The Right Hon. RICHARD MARSH, MP, BENN, MP, Minister of Technology Minister of Transport The Right Hon. CLEDWYN HUGHES, The Right Hon. LORD SHACKLETON, M p, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries Lord Privy Seal and Food The Right Hon. GEORGE THOMAS, M P, The Right Hon. ROY MASON, MP, Secretary of State for Wales Minister of Power The Right Hon. JUDITH HART, MP, Paymaster General The following were also present: The Right Hon. JOHN STONEHOUSE, The Right Hon. ROBERT MELLISH, M P, M p, Postmaster-General (Items 3 Parliamentary Secretary, Treasury and 4) Mr. JOHN MORRIS, M P, Minister of Mr. ROY HATTERSLEY, MP, Minister Defence for Equipment (item 4) of Defence for Administration (Item 5) The Right Hon. Sir ELWYN JONES, Q C, M p, Attorney-General (Item 4) Secretariat: Sir BURKE TREND Miss J. J. NUNN Mr. R. R. D. MCINTOSH Sir ROBIN HOOPER Mr. G. F. KEAR Mr. G. P. PRATT CONTENTS Item Subject Page 1 PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS 3 Divorce Reform Bill Permanent Abolition of Capital Punishment for Murder Legislative Programme 1969-70 2 OVERSEA AFFAIRS 3 Anguilla Europe Nigeria Mr. Gerald Brooke Middle East 3 INDUSTRIAL DISPUTES 7 Post Office Engineering Union Pay Claim Pay Negotiations in the London Docks 4 PUBLIC RECORDS ... 10 Timing and Method of Release of Records of the 1939-4 5 War 5 NORTHERN IRELAND ' 11 CC39(69) CONFIDENTIAL Parliamentary 1. The Cabinet were informed that it was proposed that the Affairs 1969-70 Session of Parliament should be opened on 28th October. The remainder of the present Session's business might well occupy the House of Commons for the two previous weeks. Divorce In discussion attention was drawn to the possibility that Reform Bill Government time might have to be found to deal with the House (Previous Reference: of Lords amendments to the Divorce Bill. CC (69) 31st Conclusions, Minute 1) Permanent The Home Secretary recalled that the Cabinet had invited the Abolition of Secretary of State for Scotland and himself on 22nd May (o move Capital during the remainder of the Session the resolutions required under Punishment for Murder the Murder (Abolition of Death Penally) Act 1965 to continue (Previous permanently the abolition of capital punishment. The precise timing Reference: of this would require further consideration in September. CC (69) 24th Conclusions, Minute 7) Legislative The Lord Privy Seal drew attention to the importance of Programme introducing Bills suitable for introduction in the House of Lords 1969-70 during the early part of the Session so as to avoid the congestion (Previous Reference: of business in the House of Lords during the summer. CC (69) 19th Conclusions, Minute 5) SECRET Oversea 2. The Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary said that, before Affairs leaving Anguilla on his resignation, HM Commissioner, Mr. Cumber, Anguilla had submitted a report on the situation. This was being studied in (Previous the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Ministry of Defence, Reference: CC(69) 35th who were also considering the possibility of withdrawing without Conclusions, replacement the paratroops at present stationed in the island, if the Minute 2) situation permitted. Consideration would also be given, in consultation with the Home Secretary, to reducing the Metropolitan Police contingent or withdrawing it altogether. As it would be difficult to bring the matter to the Defence and Oversea Policy Committee or the Cabinet during the Recess, he suggested that any decisions which might be necessary during the Recess should be taken by the Prime Minister, himself, the Home Secretary and the Defence Secretary. The Cabinet— (1) Took note of the statement by the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary. (2) Agreed that any questions which might arise during the Recess in regard to force levels in Anguilla, or the Metropolitan Police contingent there, should be taken on the basis proposed by the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary. The Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary said that at the meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the six countries of the European Economic Community (EEC) held at Brussels on 22nd July, the French Foreign Minister, M. Maurice Schumann, had proposed that a summit meeting of the Six should be held to discuss the enlargement of the Community. The other five countries had not objected to this proposal, but had pointed out that the enlargement of the Community and its development should be considered together. At the meeting, the Commission of the European Communities had been instructed to bring up to date their 1967 " opinion " regarding the admission of the United Kingdom to the EEC. On the whole the meeting had gone well and the Netherlands Foreign Minister, Mr. Luns, had expressed himself as well pleased with its results. The Cabinet— (3) Took note of the statement by the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary. (4) Agreed to discuss the problem of Britain's entry into the EEC further after the Recess. The Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary said that the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) had reached agreement with the Nigerian Federal Military Government (FMG) on a relief flight of three or four aircraft direct from Cotonou to the airstrip at Uli in the territory held by the secessionists. The ICRC were now seeking the approval of the secessionist leader, Colonel Ojukwu, and it was difficult to see how Colonel Ojukwu could object. So far as regular daylight relief flights were concerned, the ICRC had enlisted the support of the Vatican and the Roman Catholic relief organisation " Caritas" in bringing pressure to bear on Colonel Ojukwu to authorise these; but the prospects of securing his consent were not good. There had been some night relief flights, but these had not followed the routes agreed by the FMG, and had taken place against the latter's wishes. The FMG had agreed in principle to discuss the opening-up of a supply route by ship via the Cross River with secessionist representatives at a private meeting in Geneva; and we had had some part in promoting this. Meanwhile, two river craft were in Lagos harbour loaded and ready to sail with protein and medical supplies for a month. The Head of the FMG, General Gowon, would not be attending the meeting to be held shortly in Kampala by President Obote of Uganda; but he was sending two Federal Commissioners, one of whom would be Chief Enahoro. The meeting would also be attended by the Administrator of the Eastern Region. This would be a useful propaganda point, as the Administrator was an Ibo. The Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary drew attention to the attack by secessionist forces on the Shell-British Petroleum How station at Kokori and the continued activities of Count von Rosen, the Swedish soldier of fortune who was conducting air attacks on targets in Federal territory with light aircraft flown by mercenary pilots and armed in France. The Ministries of Defence and Power, together with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, were consulting with Shell regarding the defence of the latter's installations against air attack. The Swedish Government had banned the export of aircraft to Count von Rosen and to the insurgents, but he had been able to obtain aircraft and armaments in France. The Swedish Government had also attempted to curb Count von Rosen's activities, but had been unable to find any legal basis for doing so. The Prime Minister, summing up a brief discussion, emphasised the importance of Nigerian oil to our balance of payments, it was likely that Shell (though not necessarily the FMG itself) would approach the Government for advice and assistance on the defence of their installations in Nigeria; and the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary and Defence Secretary, in consultation with the Minister of Power, should discuss with Shell arrangements for air defence with minimum involvement on the part of Her MajestyV Government. Any action which might prove necessary would be taken, with his approval, by the Ministers concerned. Public presentation was important, and we should avoid giving the opponents of our Nigerian policy any pretext for drawing unfavourable comparisons between our alleged indifference to starvation in Biafra and our zeal in protecting our oil interests. The Cabinet (5) Took note of the statement by the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary. (6) Took note, with approval, of the Prime Ministers summing up of their discussion. Mr. Gerald *The Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary said that some of Brooke the statements made by Mr.