Internal Market: Strategic Programme (Hansard, 7 June 1994)

§ The Minister of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Lord Strathclyde)
My Lords, the Internal Market Council on 16th December 1993 agreed conclusions which endorse the general approach of the Commission's strategic programme for the internal market.

Lord Bruce of Donington
My Lords, is the noble Lord aware that that is quite typical of the Commission's and the Government's attitude towards democratic parliaments? Even though the document concerned was endorsed by the Council in December 1993, it was only issued to this Parliament on 17th January this year. Will the noble Lord explain why we had no opportunity to examine the document requiring endorsement until after it had been endorsed?
Will the noble Lord further explain whether in any part of the document there are any measures which would assist British exporters in plying their trades in the usual way? Is it not the case that, despite the endorsement, the document as a whole is a lot of Commission waffle?

§ Lord Strathclyde
My Lords, I certainly cannot explain why the noble Lord and other Members of the House did not have an opportunity to examine the document before the Council. However, I shall certainly look into it and let him know. The noble Lord says that the document is "a lot of waffle". It is true that it is wordy and lengthy and it could have been more precise. But the reason why we generally endorsed its overall purpose is that it continues to encourage the completion of the single market, which will do more than anything else to help our exporters and indigenous industries.

§ Lord Peston
My Lords, I do not believe that there is anything between us on the desirability of pressing for the completion of the single market. What troubles many noble Lords is that we in this country seem to take our responsibilities and what we agreed to rather more seriously than our colleagues abroad. Without for one moment denying my noble friend's view that the document is full of waffle, the general question we have to ask Her Majesty's Government is whether we can do 1076 more to press other countries to recognise the commitment under the single market; that is, essentially to get rid of restrictive practices, particularly those connected with foreign trade. Almost ever)' day we read about other countries managing to protect themselves from freedom in the market. What are the Government doing in the matter? It is; quite separate from other matters, but it seems to me to be of central importance.

§ Lord Strathclyde
My Lords, I am glad that one of the areas where there was. not a lot of waffle in the document was precisely the one dealing with the noble Lord's question. We very much agree that action must focus on monitoring the operation of single market rules which is needed to ensure that single market measures are evenly applied and enforced across the Community, We agreed that that should include monitoring of quality of transposition of Community law into national law. The Commission commits itself to that in the paper.
In the United Kingdom the DTI has set up the single market compliance unit which exists to help British businesses which meet problems because single market measures are not sufficiently well transposed into the law of other member states.

§ Lord Stoddart of Swindon
My Lords, can the noble Lord say what there is in the document to assist British exporters to get rid of the £6,000 million per year overall deficit in trade with the EC? Every year £6,000 million is added to the already existing £97,000 million deficit which we have had with Europe since 1973.

§ Lord Strathclyde
My Lords, the best way for this country to create a balance of trade surplus is to vote against the Social Charter, to vote against parties that believe in a greater role for the European Community. That policy has been carried out by this Government and it is why the United Kingdom is the fastest growing country industrially in Europe in 1994, and I believe will be so again in 1995.

§ Earl Russell
My Lords, does the Minister agree that it might assist our exporters to the European Union if they did not have to listen to so many answers like the preceding one which portrays them as the enemy?

§ Lord Strathclyde
My Lords, it would assist exporters of this country if the noble Earl's party, the Liberal Democrats, believed more in British sovereignty, preserving British jobs and not surrendering everything to a federal Europe.

§ Lord Peston
My Lords, I expressed the hope yesterday that we discontinue electioneering in this House, especially as I do not believe that anybody is listening to us anyway. But that is by the way. There is a point on which the noble Lord might care to reflect, and perhaps he can tell us whether he has thought about it; namely, that the lack of our exports to the European Community cannot possibly be attributed to the Social Chapter, because we do not have that yet. There must be some other failing that causes us to do so badly in trade. Would he care to reflect on whether that failing has anything to do with the fact that his Government have been in power for so long?

§ Lord Strathclyde
My Lords, the competitiveness White Paper published a couple of weeks ago indicated a number of measures that the Government would take to improve our competitive position throughout the world. The point about the Social Charter is that if we were to go down that route, as is proposed by the socialist parties opposite, then the position would be far worse for British industry.

Lord Bruce of Donington
My Lords, in order to bring the matter back to the document itself, the noble Lord, in quoting from page 11 of the document—which he must have received retrospectively because he passed it before he had read it—indicated that comprehensive monitoring was one of the advantages that were to be held out to British exporters. Will he confirm that it will be of advantage to British exports for the following additional steps to be taken, as set out in the document: use of external consultants", (ha, ha!); multilateral and bilateral meetings with Member State officials", (ha, ha, ha, ha!); direct contact with economic operators in the sectors concerned", (ha, ha!); and, complaints as a means of identifying problem areas"? Will the noble Lord confirm that it is the Government's view that those particular points will be of decisive importance to those of our fellow countrymen who seek to promote this country's exports?

§ Lord Strathclyde
No, my Lords, of course I do not agree with that. Those areas will be up for individual negotiation. The general thrust of the document is to be welcomed because it will aid the completion of the single market. That will be of great benefit to British producers and consumers.