§ Mr. Spearingasked the Attorney-General if the Lord Chancellor will make an estimate of the likely effects of membership of the Common Market on the rule of law in the United Kingdom.
§ The Attorney-GeneralNo. The impact of membership of the European Communities on the general principles of our law has been repeatedly examined by my noble and learned Friend, the Lord Chancellor and his two immediate predecessors. I refer the hon. Member to paragraph 25 of the 1967 Command Paper "Legal and Constitutional Implications of United Kingdom Membership of the European Communities", to passages in speeches made in another place by Lord Dilhorne (2nd August, 1962, col. 419), by Lord Gardiner (8th May, 1967, col. 1203–4), and to the speech made by my noble Friend, in proposing the Second Reading of the European Communities Bill, on 25th July, 1972 (col. 1223–33). There is no reason to think that the operation of the rule of law will be affected.