HC Deb 19 July 2002 vol 389 cc611-2W
Sir John Stanley

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the dates of meetings that have taken place between British and Spanish ministers under the Brussels Process since it was set in place. [70625]

Peter Hain

On 10 April 1980 Lord Carrington and the Spanish Foreign Minister (Sr Oreja) agreed a joint statement (the Lisbon Declaration) "to start negotiations aimed at overcoming all the differences between them on Gibraltar". On 27 November 1984, Sir Geoffrey Howe and the Spanish Foreign Minister (Sr Moran) agreed the Brussels Communique which established a formal negotiating process under the Lisbon Declaration. The Brussels Communique stated that "Both sides accept that the issues of sovereignty will be discussed in that process". Between November 1984 and February 1999 more than 60 meetings (including 16 at ministerial level) were held under the Brussels Process. Since the relaunch of the Brussels Process in July 2001, three ministerial meetings have been held (on 26 July 2001, 20 November 2001 and 4 February 2002).

Mrs. Ellman

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs who will construct the wording for any referendum in Gibraltar concerning its future status. [70722]

Peter Hain

No decisions have been made on the timing or modalities of any referendum because there is no Agreement to have a referendum about.