Single European Market: Progress (Hansard, 27 November 1989)

§ The Minister of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Lord Trefgarne)
My Lords, good progress is being made on the Single Market programme. The Council of Ministers has now adopted 147 of the measures in the Commission's White Paper, including major proposals such as the liberalisation of capital movements, the mutual recognition of higher education diplomas and the liberalisation of international road haulage. Overall, about half of the programme has been completed.

The Viscount of Oxfuird
My Lords, I thank my noble friend for his Answer. Is he aware that the evidence of the noble Lord, Lord Murray, which was included in Lord Kearton's report on the EC and Japan, stated that the Japanese knew more about 1992 than we did? Can my noble friend confirm that his department is continuing with its energetic promotion programme among the management of this country to overcome any further problems in this direction?

§ Lord Trefgarne
My Lords, judging from my own recent visit to Japan I would not agree because while I was there I was constantly asked about the implications of the Single Market for Japanese companies. However my noble friend is quite right to point to the need for British companies to place themselves in the best possible position to take advantage of the opportunities that will be provided by the Single Market. We are doing everything we can to achieve that.

The Earl of Halsbury
My Lords, can the noble Lord confirm that the liberalisation of capital is due for implementation in 1990?

§ Lord Trefgarne
My Lords, I believe that the noble Earl is correct in that regard. Certainly it is an important aspect in moving towards the Single European Market in 1992.

§ Lord Orr-Ewing
My Lords, if companies are making this progress can my noble friend say whether our nationalised industries are also making progress? Shall we see our train service run on a seven-day basis rather than a five-day basis? Will our postal service match those in the main competitor countries of Western Europe?

§ Lord Trefgarne
My Lords, the Single European Market will of course offer enormous opportunities to British firms and organisations like the nationalised industries because of the greater size of the market available to them. But it will also expose them to a much greater degree of competition, and those who do not compete effectively—for example, by not providing the kind of services that their customers require on the days of the week on which they are required—will lose out.

§ Lord Williams of Elvel
My Lords, is the noble Lord aware that the Single European Act which set up the process for the Single European Market goes rather wider than simply the market? Would he still describe the Government as being —and I quote from the Preamble to the Act: Moved by the will to continue the work undertaken on the basis of the Treaties establishing European Communities and to transform relations as a whole among their States into a European Union"? If the Government are so committed, what do they mean by "European Union"?

§ Lord Trefgarne
My Lords, it would take me a long time to describe in detail exactly what is meant by that term. However, no timetable is laid down in the Single European Act.

§ Lord Molloy
My Lords, is the Minister aware that ordinary people are apprehensive about the Government's position? For example, very senior ex-Ministers like the ex-Chancellor of the Exchequer and the ex-Minister of Defence now find themselves to be severe critics of the Prime Minister. Does the noble Lord agree that the British public have some right to know what really is the policy and whether it is supported by the Conservative Party itself?

§ Lord Trefgarne
My Lords, the policy in this matter —as in all others —is collectively agreed by the Ministers of the Government. All the Ministers of the present Government support the present policy, as has been said on a number of occasions.