§ 20. Mr. John Wellsasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what inquiries he has made about the availability of funds from European Economic Community sources to compensate special national interests that are damaged by European Economic Community regulations.
§ Mr. Anthony RoyleThere are a number of provisions for Community expenditure to assist member countries who face special problems as a result of the adoption of Community policies. As a member the United Kingdom would have access to these funds on the same terms as any other member.
§ 26. Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the progress of the negotiations for British membership of the European Economic Community.
§ 35. Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the latest position in connection with the United Kingdom application to enter the Common Market.
§ 37. Mr. Mayhewasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the progress of negotiations for the United Kingdom's entry into the European Economic Community.
52. Mr. W. H. K. Bakerasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a further statement on the continuing detailed negotiations with the European Economic Community.
§ Sir Alec Douglas-HomeI have nothing to add to the answer I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Banbury (Mr. Marten) and other hon. Members.
§ 43. Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Common 166W wealth Affairs whether, on Great Britain's entry into the Common Market on the signing of the Treaty of Rome, under Article 189 thereof, the British Parliament will be enabled to carry out all and every function as now; or to what extent there will be changes in the present practices.
§ Mr. Anthony RoyleI would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him by my right hon. and learned Friend on 15th June.—[Vol. 819, c. 71.]
§ 46. Mr. Ronald King Murrayasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the Government propose to take by way of regional economic policy to counter the accelerated economic pull towards the south-east of Great Britain which entry into the European Economic Community will induce.
§ Mr. Peter WalkerI have been asked to reply.
The Government will continue to pursue a vigorous regional development policy which takes full account of the interests and needs of the development and intermediate areas. Expanding firms in the European Community will no doubt have in mind that these areas have important reserves of experienced industrial manpower and a substantial industrial and social infrastructure.
§ 51. Mr. Blakerasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last consulted representatives of Commonwealth countries about the progress of the negotiations for British entry into the European Economic Community.
§ Mr. Anthony RoyleWe have maintained regular contact with Commonwealth representatives on the progress of the negotiations, notably briefings after each Ministerial negotiating meeting. The last briefing was in London on 11th June when my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster reported fully on progress at the negotiating meeting on 7th June.
§ 53. Mr. Clinton Davisasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish in the 167W OFFICIAL REPORT a complete list of all the concessions which have been made by the countries of the European Economic Community to the United Kingdom, and the concessions which have been made by the United Kingdom to the countries of the European Economic Community during the course of the negotiations in Brussels.
§ Mr. Anthony RoyleMy right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster has reported regularly to the House. From his statements it will be apparent that as in all negotiations there have been concessions on both sides.
§ 54. Mr. Deakinsasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he intends to negotiate with the European Economic Community on amendments to the common fisheries policy to safeguard the interests of the British fishing industry.
§ Sir Alec Douglas-HomeI have nothing to add to the answer I gave earlier to my hon. Friend the Member for Banff (Mr. W. H. K. Baker) and the hon. Member for Edinburgh, East (Mr. Strang).
§ 55. Mr. Moateasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his recent consultations with Commonwealth countries concerning the European Economic Community proposals for sugar.
§ 60. Mr. Tilneyasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a further statement about the sugar negotiations with the European Economic Community countries and the reaction of cane sugar producers in the Commonwealth.
§ Mr. Anthony RoyleI have nothing to add to the statements by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on 17th May and 9th June.—[Vol. 817, c. 885–6; Vol. 818, c. 1043–5.]
§ 56. Mr. Juddasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will publish as a White Paper details of his discussions with Governments of developing Commonwealth countries concerning the implications for their social and economic policy of possible 168W entry by Great Britain to the European Economic Community.
§ Mr. Anthony RoyleThroughout the current negotiations close consultation with all Commonwealth countries has been maintained. These have led to the securing of satisfactory arrangements for developing Commonwealth countries, after enlargement. But publication of the details of these discussions would not be appropriate.
§ 65. Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to what extent, on acceptance of the Treaty of Rome, Members of Parliament will continue to be free both to question and refuse to accept decisions of the Council of Ministers arrived at by the European Economic Community, as they affect the United Kingdom, and to be able to amend or alter such decisions and regulations as arrived at by the Ministers of the Seven.
§ Mr. Anthony RoyleJoining the European Economic Community will not affect the rights of honourable Members to table Questions on European Economic Community matters affecting the United Kingdom. In relation to the second part of the Question, if Parliament approves a Treaty of Accession to the Treaties of the Communities, the powers of Parliament would be exercised in the light of Article 189 of the Treaty of Rome.
§ Mr. Deakinsasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has now specified to the European Economic Community those regulations of the Common Fisheries Policy which would need modification to meet the needs and circumstances of an enlarged Community.
§ Mr. RipponAll the regulations of the Common Fisheries Policy so far agreed by the Community are currently under discussion with the Commission of the Community. This will enable us to identify those points, in addition to control of access to coastal waters, where we would wish modifications in the regulations.
§ Mr. Deakinsasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he proposes to publish in full the texts of agreements reached with the European Economic Community.
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§ Mr. Anthony RoyleI would refer to the statement by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 17th June concerning the White Paper which will describe arrangements provisionally made with the Community in the current negotiations.—[Vol. 819, c. 643–5.]
§ Mr. Deakinsasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assurances have been given to the European Free Trade Association partners not seeking full membership of the European Economic Community, about the United Kingdom position in relation to any proposed re-erection of trade barriers between the United Kingdom and such countries.
§ Mr. RipponAt the Ministerial meeting of the E.F.T.A. Council in London on 28th April, 1967, the United Kingdom Government joined with its E.F.T.A. partners in affirming their intention to work towards the goal of European economic integration, and in reiterating their strong interest in safeguarding, as an important part of an enlarged European Community, the free market already established in E.F.T.A. by the successful dismantling of trade barriers with the Association.
At this meeting, E.F.T.A. Ministers agreed that it would be the purpose of Governments that, should it be necessary in order to give a reasonable opportunity to their partners in the Free Trade Area to conclude negotiations, sufficient transitional periods should be provided for, with a view to avoiding disruption in European trade patterns. Her Majesty's Government and the Governments of other E.F.T.A. countries have since then stated their desire that all the relevant instruments of accession and arrangements with the Community should enter into force simultaneously.
§ Mr. Ronald King Murrayasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what, in purely economic terms, is his estimate of the cost and benefit to the United Kingdom of association with the European Economic Community as compared with full membership.
§ Mr. RipponThe option of association is no politically acceptable to Her Majesty's Government.
Mr. Ronald King Murreyasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth 170W Affairs what proportion of the existing European Economic Community regulations deal with agriculture and industry, respectively.
§ Mr. RipponThere are currently in force approximately 1,830 European Economic Community regulations dealing with agriculture. There are about a further 330 regulations in force which affect the industrial section, relate to miscellaneous subjects and also cover European Coal and Steel Community and Euratom matters.
§ Sir R. Russellasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the Six have accepted his proposal that the Australia sugar quota under the Commonwealth Sugar Agreement should be phased out gradually during the transitional period.
§ Mr. RipponThe Community has agreed that we may fulfil our contractual commitments to Australia under the Commonwealth Sugar Agreement until 1974. We shall be discussing further with the Community, at an appropriate time in the context of the transitional arrangements for agriculture, the problem of phasing out, after 1974, Australian supplies of sugar under the Commonwealth Sugar Agreement.
§ Mr. Moateasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the European Economic Community have, in the course of the negotiations for British entry, put forward firm proposals for the total elimination of their surplus production of apples and pears, by the end of the transitional period.
§ Mr. Anthony RoyleTo protect British producers against Community surpluses the lower prices in the Community we have made special arrangements for apples and pears during the transitional period. Levels of horticulture production in an enlarged Community are matters on which we shall be able to express our views if we become a member of the Communities.
§ Mr. Moateasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the progress of negotiations for British entry into the European Economic Community.
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§ Mr. Anthony RoyleI have nothing to add at this stage to the statements made by my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on 9th June and by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 10th June.—[Vol. 818, c. 1043–5; Vol. 818, c. 1235–7.]
§ Mr. Moateasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, during his negotiations of British entry into the European Economic Community, the Community have put forward firm proposals for the elimination of surplus production of sugar in the Community and in its associated territories.
§ Mr. Anthony RoyleNo, but levels of sugar production in an enlarged Community are matters on which we shall be able to express our views if we become a member of the European Economic Community.
§ Mr. Stratton Millsasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to what extent the present subsidy to fuel in Northern Ireland is compatible with the regulations of the European Economic Community.
§ Mr. RipponSince this subsidy operates in Northern Ireland and is to manufacturing industry rather than to fuel producers, it would, in the context of the provisions of the Treaty of Rome on regional policy, appear to qualify for exemption from limitations on State aids.