HL Deb 29 June 1973 vol 343 cc2181-2

11.5 a.m.

THE EARL OF LAUDERDALE

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they can make any statement about negotiations with France to agree the Median Line in the Celtic Sea and the Western Approaches.

THE MINISTER OF STATE, FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIE)

My Lords, certain proposals are still under consideration. No conclusions have yet been reached.

THE EARL OF LAUDERDALE

My Lords, while thanking the noble Lady for that reply, and without wishing to press her unduly, I would ask: does she not agree that there is a mutual British and French interest in coming to an early and satisfactory agreement about splitting the areas which are believed to contain deep and perhaps valuable sedimentary basins?

BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIE

Yes, my Lords, I agree that it is most important to try to reach an agreement which is provided for in the 1958 Geneva Convention on the Continental Shelf. If no agreement can be reached, and unless another boundary line is justified by special circumstances, the boundary should be the Median Line.

LORD ARWYN

My Lords, may I ask the Minister whether she is working in close co-operation with the Institute of Geology on this matter? It has a very wide scope and will have a tremendous effect on our future.

BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIE

My Lords, a great deal of advice has been taken on this matter.

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