HC Deb 29 January 1970 vol 794 cc1710-2
Q.1. Mr. Marten

asked the Prime Minister whether he will initiate further studies by Departments on the effect of Great Britain joining the Common Market, in the light of the report of the Confederation of British Industry, a copy of which has been sent to Her Majesty's Government.

The Prime Minister (Mr. Harold Wilson)

The forthcoming White Paper about the effects of entering the E.E.C. will take account of the C.B.I.'s report.

Mr. Marten

May I express the hope that the Prime Minister's injuries are nothing more than superficial?

Would the right hon. Gentleman give an assurance that any further studies into the question of Britain joining the Common Market will be supplemental to the White Paper, the publication of which should not be delayed beyond 16th February, in view of the strong suspicion that the original estimates were much higher than the Prime Minister liked and that the relevant Departments have been told to do their sums again?

The Prime Minister

I thank the hon. Gentleman for the preamble to his supplementary question.

The answer to the first part is that there will be no delay as a result of any further work that is being done. The answer to the second part and the suspicions of which he spoke is that he has been totally misinformed. There has been no question of our asking Departments to do their sums again.

Mr. Moonman

In welcoming my right hon. Friend back from the United States, may I ask him to comment on the question of the industry-by-industry growth sectors associated with Europe and state whether it would be possible to say whether, in the cost-benefit analysis that has been made, sufficient attention has been paid to the scientific value of our going into Europe?

The Prime Minister

I am sure that my hon. Friend will wish to study the White Paper when it comes out. It is extremely difficult at this time to make an industry-by-industry analysis, but we have the benefit of the C.B.I. analysis to help us in what we are doing.

Mr. Heath

I join my hon. Friend the Member for Banbury (Mr. Marten) in expressing sympathy to the Prime Minister following his fall.

The right hon. Gentleman said earlier that the White Paper would be presented quite early in February. While I appreciate the complications involved in producing the White Paper, is he aware that the more complicated the matter is the more important it is that public opinion should have the information? Can he, therefore, give a specific date for its publication?

The Prime Minister

I cannot at this moment give a specific date. There has been no further delay in the matter since I informed the House of our hope of presenting it by that time. The House has been told about some of the difficulties we had in December, when we had to wait for decisions to be taken in Brussels.

I wish to express my thanks to the right hon. Gentleman for his remarks at the beginning of his supplementary question.