§ Lord Pearson of Rannochasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they agree with the advice given on 14th December 1960 by the then Lord Chancellor, Lord Kilmuir, to the then Lord Privy Seal, the right honourable Edward Heath MP, about the effect on British sovereignty of the United Kingdom's participation in the Common Market under the Treaty of Rome.
§ The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Chalker of Wallasey)It would not be sensible for the Government to comment on advice given by one Minister to another 36 years ago. The Government made clear in thePartnership of Nations White Paper that "common European decision making, as opposed to co-operation, can only be justified where it brings benefits for British security, prosperity and quality of life which are so significant that they justify some loss of unfettered national control over decision making in the area concerned, or where common action enables nation states to exercise joint control which is not open to them individually".