HC Deb 11 December 1969 vol 793 cc634-6
Q4. Mr. R. C. Mitchell

asked the Prime Minister whether he will publish as a Green Paper the Treasury report on the economic and financial effects of Great Britain joining the Common Market.

The Prime Minister

I take it that my right hon. Friend is referring to the White Paper foreshadowed in the Answer I gave on 18th November. I have nothing to add to what I then stated.—[Vol. 791, c. 1106–11.]

Mr. Mitchell

I was not really referring to that one at all. Is it not essential that before this House is asked to vote once again on the question of entering the Common Market the fullest possible information which is available to Government should be made available to Members of the House of Commons?

The Prime Minister

I am sorry that my hon. Friend was not referring to that one, because there is not another one to refer to. I have said that the estimates we are making, and I mentioned some of the difficulties about this on 18th November, will be made available to the House either as a White Paper or as more than one White Paper. My hon. Friend says a Green Paper; but that would not be appropriate. White Papers are usual either when there is some statement of policy or when they set out to give the background and factual information. The policy has been debated a number of times, and what will be done here will not be a matter, as it were, for arguing as to what sort of policy it should be; it will be as clear a statement of the facts as we can make it about the economic implications of joining the Common Market.

Mr. Turton

Whether it is published as a Green or a White Paper, will the right hon. Gentleman arrange that the Paper is available to hon. Members as soon as possible after the House reassembles in January, and will he then intervene with his right hon. Friend the Lord President of the Council to secure an early debate in the House.

The Prime Minister

The question of a debate is not for me but for discussions with the usual channels. I will certainly do my best to get this information published as quickly as possible after it is in. I have said, I think to the right hon. Gentleman, certainly to the House a week or two ago, that we have to make assumptions which can only be assumptions, and it may well be that between now and then we shall have somewhat greater clarity taking place within the Common Market agricultural policy. It may not be very much information, but it might bear on the assumptions in the White Paper.