§ Lord O'HAGANMy 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 will publish a White Paper describing the alternatives to membership of the EEC.
§ The PARLIAMENTARY UNDERSECRETARY of STATE, FOREIGN and COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (Lord GORONWY-ROBERTS)My Lords, my right honourable friend the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary has said that a decision on the conduct of the referendum is likely to be taken in January. I should not like to anticipate anything which may then be announced. But the point made by the noble Lord will of course be fully borne in mind.
§ Lord O'HAGANMy Lords, does the noble Lord remember what he said in this House on Monday, which was that the position must be put fully before the people? If Her Majesty's Government are thinking about the implications of withdrawal from the EEC, as I understand they are, will he give an undertaking that the thoughts on the implications of withdrawal from the EEC will be shared with the British people before they decide on this question through the ballot box?
§ Lord GORONWY-ROBERTSMy Lords, I not only recall what I said on Monday, which is a reasonably recent date to recall, but reaffirm it; and I also give the assurance that this Government, especially, will share their thoughts in all 1160 particulars with the people when the appropriate time comes.
§ Baroness TWEEDSMUIR of BELHELVIEMy Lords, does the Minister recall that in his speech on Monday he said that it was not necessary to lay out the alternatives to membership of the European Community, because the Government hoped to recommend that Britain should remain a member?
§ Lord GORONWY-ROBERTSMy Lords, with respect, I wonder whether I said quite that. But I take the point of the noble Baroness, which is that we are renegotiating with a genuine and firm intention to find reasons to stay in. Naturally, in the process of the study and promotion of renegotiation, all possible aspects of the matter are also being studied, including alternatives.
§ LORD HALEMy Lords, among the possibilities would the noble Lord also consider whether a financial union with Jersey, Guernsey, the Isle of Man and the Cayman Islands might provide very sub-stantial financial support for the pound, either within or without the Common Market?
§ Lord GORONWY-ROBERTSMy Lords, my noble friend certainly has a point; but he might expand that already large list.