§ 62. Mr. Wallasked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs whether, after the Gibraltar referendum, he will consider holding a round-table conference to decide the future constitutional relationship between Gibraltar and Great Britain.
§ Mrs. HartIf by Round-Table Conference the hon. Member means a conference 87W attended by members of all parties from both Houses of Parliament here, I do not think that such an exceptional arrangement would be suitable or necessary in Ole present circumstances of Gibraltar.
§ 69. Sir W. Teelingasked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs (1) whether, in the coming Gibraltar referendum, the reference to democratic institutions means the existing institutions, or whether it is Her Majesty's Government's policy to down grade the local government to a municipality, in accordance with British proposals to Spain during the course of the talks;
(2) what is his policy with regard to the maintenance of links with the United Kingdom for those Gibraltarians who wish to maintain them.
§ Mrs. HartIn my statement on 14th June I made it clear that, if the majority of the people of Gibraltar vote to retain the link with Britain, Her Majesty's Government will thereafter discuss with representatives of the people of Gibraltar appropriate constitutional changes which may be desired. I cannot anticipate the result of these discussions.—[Vol. 748, c. 565.]
§ 70. Sir W. Teelingasked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs if Gibraltar opts for the retention of its links with Great Britain in the coming referendum, how Her Majesty's Government intends that the Gibraltar economy should thrive; and what positive steps Her Majesty's Government will take to save it from strangulation by Spain.
§ Mrs. HartThe Gibraltar Government plan to strengthen their economy by an expanded development programme up to 1970. As my right hon. Friend the then Colonial Secretary informed the House on the 3rd November, 1966, Her Majesty's Government support the general objectives of this programme and have allocated £600,000 to enable a start to be made on it.
§ Sir W. Teelingasked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs whether the reference to Great Britain retaining its responsibilities in Gibraltar contained in alternative B of the referendum, includes the United Kingdom's present commitment to support and sustain the 88W people of Gibraltar economically, apart from responsibility for defence and foreign affairs.
§ Sir W. Teelingasked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs to what extent it is Her Majesty's Government's policy for Great Britain to be responsible for the political and economic welfare of Gibraltarians as a British community in the event of satisfactory negotiations pursuant to the Castiella proposals.