§ 34. Mr. Cryerasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received on the Select Committee's report on EEC direct elections; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. CryerDoes my hon. Friend accept that the issue of direct elections formed no part of the referendum campaign? Will he further accept that a Select Committee, packed with Eurofanatics and certain to recommend the holding of direct elections at the earliest possible moment further to consolidate our entry into this lunatic organisation, is 1362 no substitute for an appeal to the British people on the basis of either direct elections to the European Assembly and the ending of Parliament as we know it or refusal to accept direct elections?
§ Mr. TomlinsonNo, Sir, I do not accept any of the assumptions underlying that supplementary question. I look forward to the debate on Friday, when my hon. Friend will have the opportunity to elaborate his views and I shall have time for a proper rebuttal of them.
§ Sir Frederic BennettAm I right in assuming that included in the plebiscite held on our adherence to the Treaty of Rome was an agreement by the United Kingdom in due course to take part in direct elections?
§ Mr. TomlinsonVarious people have interpreted it in various ways. It is clear that the view of the House will decide all these issues. We have already had an extensive debate on direct elections, and that debate will continue on Friday when we shall discuss the Select Committee's report.
§ Mr. KinnockDoes my hon. Friend agree that it would be a useful exercise, in contemplating the prospect of direct elections to the European Assembly, if we first made up our minds as a House what the Assembly is intended to do and allowed that consideration to dictate whether we would sit, how many Members we would send and the consequent constitutional effects which that would have on the United Kingdom?
§ Mr. TomlinsonThe powers of the Assembly are clearly defined in the Treaty of Rome. Some of us have no difficulty in understanding what those powers are. It is not at present our intention to seek an extension of the powers of the European Assembly.
§ Mr. PowellWill the motion before the House on Friday be such as to enable the House to take a decision on this matter, as the Minister suggested?
§ Mr. TomlinsonI suggested that the debate on Friday would give hon. Members the opportunity to present their views on the Select Committee's report, and I look forward to hearing the right hon. Gentleman's speech on that occasion.