§ Mr. Dykesasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what arrangements the Government are making to ensure that authoritative information and advice are available to help people in the United Kingdom prepare for forthcoming membership of the European Communities.
§ Mr. Anthony RoyleA detailed review has been conducted by Departments, under my chairmanship, to ensure that authoritative information and advice are 417W available to all concerned notably those in industry, business, agriculture and the professions.
As a result of this review departmental programmes have, where necessary, been intensified by the provision of more information material and facilities for answering inquiries both centrally and locally. In addition a Checklist and Guide to key sources of information is being published today for distribution with appropriate publicity. I have arranged for copies to be placed in the Library of the House.
It is hoped that this special effort will both ensure the ready availability of authoritative information and advice and bring it to the attention of those who need it to prepare for Community membership.
§ Mr. Shoreasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what evidence he has of increased investment of British money into the European Economic Community and of European Economic Community funds in Great Britain during the past two years.
§ Mr. Patrick JenkinI have been asked to reply.
Figures for the last two years for which information is available are:
£ million 1970 1971 Investment in the European Economic Community by United Kingdom residents 94 150 Investment in the United Kingdom by residents of the European Community 44 70
§ Mr. Shoreasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will quantify the legislative output of the European Community in 1971, showing separately the number of regulations issued by the Council of Ministers and by the Commission, and the number of directives and decisions.
§ Mr. KershawThe figures are as follows:
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Regulations made by the Council of Ministers 300 Regulations made by the Commission 2,593 Decisions and directives made by the Council of Ministers 70 Decisions and directives made by the Commission 288 A very large proportion of the instruments made by the Commission are in the agricultural sector and are of limited scope and duration. The Commission instruments are in many cases routine; and many of them reflect the need to renew at regular intervals, often with only minor variations, the regulations implementing decisions on agricultural price structures. Many instruments included in the above figures have already expired.