§ Mr. Martenasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs why it is proposed to sign the Treaty of Accession to the Treaty of Rome before the consequential legislation has been debated by the British Parliament; and what would be the practical effect of leaving such action until all consequential legislation had been passed.
§ Mr. RipponThe legislation which will be introduced will be primarily designed to make the changes in our law which are necessary to enable us to fulfil the international obligations and commitments which we will assume. The instruments of accession will set out what these will be. Those instruments must therefore be concluded before legislation can be introduced.
Signature will be the means of establishing an agreed text on which our legislation can be based. Signature itself will not bring the obligations into force. That will not happen until after we have deposited an instrument of ratification or, in the case of the European Coal and Steel Community, an instrument of accession, following the enactment of the legislation.
§ Mr. Martenasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what would be the estimated extra cost to the balance of payments and the estimated rise in food prices as set out 231W in paragraphs 43 and 88, respectively, of Command Paper Number 4715 if the European Economic Community countries gave across-the-board price increases in agricultural products of five per cent., seven per cent., nine per cent. and 11 per cent., respectively.
§ Mr. Anthony RoyleThis is a hypothetical question. Community producer price increases are, in fact, not made across the board but are assessed by individual commodity and vary considerably in the light of market circumstances.
§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make available to Members of Parliament a translation of the Annex to the West German Federal Advertiser of 3rd February, 1970, which consists of a classified index of the laws and regulations of the European Communities.
§ Mr. RipponThe index referred to is not an official publication of the European Economic Community. The Community instruments listed in it are not all relevant to the United Kingdom since many will have lapsed before 1st January, 1973, the proposed date of Britain's entry to the Community. There will be made available to Parliament an index to the Community instruments which will be binding on the United Kingdom at the time of entry. This index will be published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office and will be publicly available.