§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that, since the preparation of the White Paper on the economic assessment on Great Britain entering the Common Market based on information available in October 1969, the Community, for the year ended December, 1969, had a £42 million trade deficit compared with a £750 million surplus in the previous year; and how its proposed restrictions on credit and deflation will affect the figures published in the White Paper.
98W
§ The Prime MinisterI would refer my hon. Friend to my reply to a Question by him on 12th February.—[Vol. 795, c. 403.]
§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Prime Minister whether, as a means of estimating the all-inclusive costs of Great Britain entering the Common Market, he will arrange for the publication of White Papers, following that on the economic effects, dealing with all aspects of the effects on the judiciary, transferability of labour, and the political and Parliamentary system if Great Britain were to enter on the present basis.
§ The Prime MinisterThe 1967 White Paper dealt fully and authoritatively with the legal and constitutional implications of membership of the E.E.C., and the general assessment in that White Paper still holds good. So far as transferability of labour is concerned, it seems unlikely that, as a result of joining the E.E.C., there will be a large net increase in the number of E.E.C. nationals coming here to work. I do not therefore consider there is a basis for publishing further White Papers on the subjects referred to in my hon. Friend's Question.