§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) whether he can now state when he will have available enough copies of the authenticated agreed translations of the Classified Index of Laws and Regulations of the European Economic Community E.2; E.2263 Production Refunds, Exemption from Levies, to enable him to supply a copy to each Member of Parliament;
(2) whether he can now state when he will have available enough copies of the authenticated agreed translations of the Classified Index of Laws and Regulations of the European Economic Community so 282W far as E.2 European Economic Community, E.225 Oils, Oil Seeds and Fats are concerned to enable him to supply a copy to each Member of Parliament;
(3) whether he can now state when he will have aavilable enough copies of the authenticated agreed translation of the Classified Index of Laws and Regulations of the European Economic Community E.2; E.2262 Export Refunds are concerned to enable him to supply a copy to each Member of Parliament;
(4) whether he can now state when he will have available enough copies of the authenticated agreed translations of the Classified Index of Laws and Regulations of the European Economic Community E.2; E.2261 Price and Levy Rules to enable him to supply a copy to each Member of Parliament;
(5) whether he can now state when he will have available enough copies of the authenticated agreed translations of the Classified Index of Laws and Regulations of the European Economic Community so far as the European Coal and Steel Community E.1; E.10 Legal Bases are concerned to enable him to supply a copy to each Member of Parliament;
(6) whether he can now state when he will have available enough copies of the authenticated agreed translations of the Classified Index of Laws and Regulations of the European Economic Community so far as the European Coal and Steel Community E.1; E.11, Financing and Production, are concerned to enable him to supply a copy to each Member of Parliament;
(7) whether he can now state when he will have available enough copies of the authenticated agreed translations of the Classified Index of Laws and Regulations of the European Economic Community so far as the European Coal and Steel Community E.1; E.110 Conditions for Assessment are concerned to enable him to supply a copy to each Member of Parliament;
(8) whether he can now state when he will have available enough copies of the authenticated agreed translations of the Classified Index of Laws and Regulations of the European Economic Community so far as the European Coal and Steel Community E.1; E.1101 Amount and Methods of Application are concerned to 283W enable him to supply a copy to each Member of Parliament;
(9) whether he can now state when he will have available enough copies of the authenticated agreed translations of the Classified Index of Laws and Regulations of the European Economic Community so far as the European Coal and Steel Community E.1; E.1102 Collection are concerned to enable him to supply a copy to each Member of Parliament;
(10) whether he can now state when he will have available enough copies of the authenticated agreed translations of the Classified Index of Laws and Regulations of the European Economic Community so far as the European Coal and Steel Community E.1; E.111 Equalisation Levies in accordance with sections 25 and 26 of the Transitional Agreement are concerned to enable him to supply a copy to each Member of Parliament.
§ Mr. RipponThe index to which the hon. Member refers is not up to date. It is not to be assumed that all the instruments in it are valid for the present Community, or that all those which are valid now will be binding on this country on the date of our accession to the Communities.
English texts of relevant Community legislation in force on 10th November, 1971, will be printed and made available to the House through the Vote Office at the appropriate time.
§ Mr. Woofasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he is aware that membership of the European Parliament will involve the British Parliament in nominating 36 members of a delegation, each of which will have to spend an average of at least two days or more a week throughout the year on the business of the European Parliament; and what proposals he has for manning such a delegation.
§ Mr. RipponWe shall have the same representation in the European Parliament as the countries of the Community of comparable size to Britain, that is, 36. The extent of an individual Member's commitments to the European Parliament will vary.
The composition of the British delegation to the European Parliament is a matter for decision nearer the date of accession.
284W
§ Mr. Woofasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he is aware that the proposals made by the European Parliament's Agricultural Committee would increase food prices in the European Economic Community by 8 per cent. next year; and what effect this would have on United Kingdom food prices.
§ Mr. RipponI am aware that the Agricultural Commission of the European Parliament has suggested that farm prices, not food prices, in the Community should be increased by 8 per cent. But no proposals to this effect have been submitted by the Commission to the Council of Ministers, which has the responsibility for fixing agricultural prices. The question does not, therefore, arise.
§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to what extent Her Majesty's Government's decision to apply for membership of the European Economic Community was dependent upon joint admission with Great Britain of Norway, Denmark and Ireland; to what extent the non-admission of these three countries will affect Great Britain's application; and whether he will make a statement.
§ Mr. RipponThe reasons for the decision to apply for membership of the European Communities are fully set out in paragraphs 1–8 of the White Paper "The United Kingdom and the European Communities" (Cmnd. 4715).
The position over the applications of the other members of the European Free Trade Association and Her Majesty's Government's application to join the Community has been most recently stated in the communiqué issued after the last European Free Trade Association Ministerial Meeting. It was circulated in the OFFICIAL REPORT on 11th November. Similar considerations apply in the case of the application of Ireland.
The second part of the Question is hypothetical.—[Vol. 825, c. 1247–48.]
§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether on the terms negotiated a British firm could be liable to a fine of 4,000 dollars under Articles 11 to 14 of the European Economic Community Regulation No. 17 of 1962, if they acted similarly to a Belgian firm, details of 285W which are in his possession, on Great Britain's entry into the European Economic Community.
§ Mr. RipponYes.
§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs why he will not publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a comprehensive statement showing to what extent, on Great Britain's entry into the European Economic Community, Members of the British Parliament will be prevented from raising day-to-day matters and opposing, amending and rejecting rules, regulations, and edicts as promulgated by the Council of Ministers in Brussels.
§ Mr. RipponThe application by Parliament of relevant Community instruments is dealt with in paragraphs 22 and 23 of the White Paper on the Legal and Constitutional Implications of United Kingdom Membership of the European Communities (Cmnd. 3301). As to the powers of Parliament in relation to Community instruments, I have nothing to add to the answers given to the hon. Member on 21st June, 8th July and 20th July.—[Vol. 819, c.168; Vol. 820, c. 444; Vol. 821, c. 259–60.]
§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs why he will not arrange for a full and complete list of all rules, regulations and edicts which the British Parliament will have to pass before entry into the European Economic Community to be published in the OFFICIAL REPORT and/or placed in the Library; and why he will not state to what extent it will be possible for Parliament to reject or amend these instruments.
§ Mr. RipponEnglish texts of the relevant Community instruments will be made available to the House at the appropriate time.
As to the powers of Parliament in relation to Community instruments, I have nothing to add to my reply to the hon. Member on 20th July, 1971.—[Vol.821 c. 259–60.]