§ 2.56 p.m.
§ Lord Boyd-CarpenterMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper.
238 The Question was as follows:
To ask Her Majesty's Government on what date and for what reasons the military guard at the frontier between Gibraltar and Spain was withdrawn; and whether the Spanish military guard has now been withdrawn.
§ Baroness YoungMy Lords, the guard was withdrawn on the 31st July. It no longer seems appropriate to have a guard of this nature at a frontier between two countries who are European Community partners and North Atlantic Treaty Organisation allies. The Spanish Government have not yet withdrawn their guard. We will continue to press them to do so.
§ Lord Boyd-CarpenterMy Lords, does my noble friend think that the considerations which she has adduced for the withdrawal of a guard which has been there for 250 years apply with absolute equality to the Spanish guard? Would it not have been more sensible to have made sure that if these guards were to be withdrawn they should be withdrawn simultaneously?
§ Baroness YoungMy Lords, we informed the Spanish Government in advance of our intention to withdraw the guard and we urged them to make a reciprocal gesture. We shall continue to press them to do so. But can I say to my noble friend that the Gibraltar Government have expressed satisfaction at the terms of the response of my right honourable and learned friend the Foreign Secretary on 19th September to the memorandum which was signed by leaders of all Gibraltar's political parties on this matter.
§ Baroness YoungMy Lords, I can quite see that my noble friend is making a very clever debating point, but I think we ought to realise that in this matter we are, after all, talking about a country which is our partner in the European Community, our ally in NATO and one with whom we have good diplomatic relations.
§ Lord Cledwyn of PenrhosMy Lords, while we understand the reaction to some extent, would the noble Baroness confirm that this is in no way a derogation of sovereignty? Would she go a step further and say what progress is being made in an easement of the regulations with regard to aircraft flying into Gibraltar airport? Has there been any progress along those lines which, if there is an easement, could bring enormous benefit by way of tourism to Gibraltar?
§ Baroness YoungMy Lords, I am very glad to give an assurance to the noble Lord, Lord Cledwyn, and indeed to the whole House, that the British Government stands by the Preamble to the 1969 Constitution. This assurance has been given many times in your Lordships' House, in another place and of course in Gibraltar itself.
On the question of air space, the Spanish authorities lifted the prohibition over Spanish air space on civilian 239 aircraft using Royal Air Force Gibraltar following the implementation of the Brussels Agreement in February 1985. We continue to look for ways in which we can persuade the Spanish authorities to make changes to prohibited air space for military aircraft.
§ Lord Boyd-CarpenterMy Lords, would my noble friend, if the Spanish Government persist in maintaining the guard, indicate to them that if they do not accept the considerations of European unity which were referred to so eloquently, we shall find it necessary to restore our own?
§ Baroness YoungMy Lords, in the course of our discussions with the Spanish, which take place at official level and of course will again take place at ministerial level, we have made our position on this matter absolutely clear. We hope very much that the Spanish will consider withdrawing their ceremonial guard as well.