§ 18. Mr. Laurance Reedasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he is planning to visit the capitals of the Six to investigate the possibility of speeding up the negotiations.
§ Mr. RipponI have already visited all capitals of the Six in connection with the negotiations. I have no immediate plans to make further visits but am in regular contact With Ministers of Community countries.
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§ 27. Miss Quennellasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he now proposes to ask the Six for additional Ministerial meetings during the first half of 1971 in order to speed up the completion of the negotiations.
§ Mr. RipponThe Community has agreed that the Ministerial meeting scheduled for 11th May should be extended to include also the afternoon of 12th May and that a further meeting might be arranged later.
§ 28. Mr. Moateasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if it is still the policy of Her Majesty's Government that Great Britain will not join the European Economic Community unless full and satisfactory safeguards can be negotiated for the Commonwealth and the European Free Trade Association, and for British agriculture and horticulture.
§ Mr. RipponHer Majesty's Government's negotiating position was set out in my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer's statement of 30th June. There has been no change in this position.—[Cmnd. 4401.]
§ 37. Mr. David Stoddartasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will now arrange to publish a White Paper setting out the up-to-date legal and political implications for the United Kingdom in signing the Treaty of Rome.
§ Mr. RipponHer Majesty's Government have no plans to publish further White Papers at the present stage in the negotiations with the European Communities.
§ 47. Mr. Raisonasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the United Kingdom will require the formal agreement of its European Free Trade Association partners before joining the European Economic Community.
§ Mr. RipponNo.
§ 48. Sir G. de Freitasasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many developing Commonwealth countries will be associated with or linked with the European 5W Economic Community, after the United Kingdom becomes a member of the Community.
§ Mr. RipponAssociation agreements are in force between the Community and Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda and with Malta. Cyprus is negotiating a trading agreement with the Community. All Commonwealth African countries have been offered association or other trading arrangements by the Communities. We have asked that this offer should be extended to independent Commonwealth countries in the Caribbean and in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. The number of developing Commonwealth countries to be linked with the European Economic Community will depend upon the outcome of the remaining negotiations and the decisions taken by the countries themselves on the options offered by the Community.
§ 52. Mr. Martenasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions have taken place with the European Economic Commission about the political development of the Common Market.
§ Mr. RipponNone.
§ 53. Mr. Blakerasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his estimate of the number of Commonwealth countries which already have direct trading links with the European Economic Community or which will seek such links if the United Kingdom joins the Community.
§ Mr. RipponAll Commonwealth countries have trading relations with the European Economic Community. In addition, association agreements are in force between the Community and Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda and with Malta. Formal trade arrangements with regard to certain commodities exist between the European Economic Community and India and Pakistan. Cyprus has had talks with the Community with a view to establishing a trade agreement. All the Commonwealth African countries have been offered association or some other trading arrangement, in the context of the enlargement negotiations. We have asked that this offer should also be extended to other Commonwealth countries, notably in the Caribbean, the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
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§ 54. Mr. Turtonasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made by Her Majesty's Government in the course of negotiations with the European Economic Community, in view of the severe restriction in production announced by the home newsprint manufacturers to ensure the continued free entry into the United Kingdom of the traditional supplies from Canada and other countries.
§ Mr. RipponThe Community has arrangements which permit the importation of newsprint free of duty. We are discussing with them how these arrangements might be adapted to the circumstances of an enlarged Community.
§ 55. Mr. Leonardasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations lie has made to his colleagues in the member States of the European Economic Community in support of the British Government's proposals on Community finance in the negotiations at Brussels.
§ Mr. RipponOur proposals on Britain's contribution to Community finance have been discussed with all member governments of the European Economic Community, but we are negotiating with the Communities as a whole and look to the negotiating conference for progress on this matter.
§ 58. Mr. Laurance Reedasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he proposes to increase the number of meetings of Deputies scheduled for the first half of 1971 in order to speed up progress in the negotiations for Great Britain's entry into the European Economic Community.
§ Mr. RipponMeetings of Deputies take place regularly to prepare for Ministerial meetings. There will be further meetings of the Deputies on 28th April and 4th May.
§ 60. Mr. Moateasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the progress of the negotiations for British entry into the European Economic Community.
§ 64. Mr. Barnesasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth 7W Affairs if he will make a further statement on the progress of the negotiations for Great Britain to join the European Economic Community.
§ Mr. RipponI have at present nothing to add to my statement of 18th March.—[Vol. 813, c. 1659–1662.]
§ 67. Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the European Economic Community is expected to take a decision on whether professional footballers would be entitled to benefits of the Treaty of Rome on free movement of labour.
§ Mr. RipponThe European Economic Community has considered the case of footballers in relation to its provisions on freedom of movement of labour only in general terms. The Community has said that if any footballer who is a national of a Member State alleges discrimination against him in seeking employment in another Member State his case may be decided in the light of Community legislation.
§ Mr. Deakinsasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the Government proposes to make known its position on the Common Fisheries Policy on the European Economic Community.
§ Mr. RipponWe have reserved our position with the Communities. Beyond this I have nothing to add to the answer given to the hon. Gentleman by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on 30th March.—[Vol. 814, c. 334.]
§ Mr. Moateasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has stated to the member countries of the European Economic Community that Great Britain would not, if a member of the Community, apply a value-added tax to food.
§ Mr. RipponNo. At present Member States of the European Economic Community are free to decide the coverage of their individual value-added taxes.
§ Mr. Moateasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the European Economic Community would now, in the event of British 8W membership, continue to recognise the preferential right of access to the United Kingdom market of bananas from Jamaica and the Windward Islands, for an unlimited period.
§ Mr. RipponThe European Economic Community have no common banana policy and bananas have not been discussed in the negotiations. We recognise, however, that special arrangements will be necessary. We would expect, in the event of their association with the Community, the banana producers in the Associated States and the other Commonwealth Caribbean countries to be given treatment no less favourable than that which members of the Community now afford to their traditional suppliers.
§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has received the communication from the hon. Member for West Ham, North, sent under date of 10th April, 1971, regarding the Sicco Mansholt plan considered in March by the European Economic Community; how this will affect Great Britain's entry to, or the British situation after, entry into the Common Market; and whether he will make a statement.
§ Mr. RipponWe have received no communication from the hon. Member about the Mansholt Plan. I answered a Question on the effect of the Mansholt Plan, if adopted, on 22nd February.—[Vol. 812, c.9.]
§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he is aware that on any known conditions for Great Britain's entry into the European Economic Community, New Zealand's present exports of 170,000 tons of butter, 750,000 tons of cheese, and 300,000 tons of lamb per annum, to Great Britain will be adversely affected; and what further safeguards he proposes to seek in the negotiations to secure trade between Great Britain and New Zealand.
§ Mr. RipponAs regards New Zealand's exports of dairy products, we have tabled proposals asking for some form of continuing arrangements, subject to review. The Community has not yet responded to these proposals which we regard as those most calculated to 9W provide a satisfactory solution. We have explained to the Community the dependence of New Zealand on the British market for its exports of lamb. Provided the Communities do not introduce a sheepmeat regulation unfavourable to New Zealand which might cause us to re-open the matter, we see no difficulty about New Zealand's exports of meat.
§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) whether he has received the official statement issued by the New Zealand Government entitled "Britain, New Zealand, and the European Economic Community", a copy of which has been sent to him; what official reply he has sent to the Government of New Zealand on this statement; and whether, when circulating documents at post offices on matters concerning Great Britain's entry into the European Economic Community he will take the necessary action to supply copies of this statement to post offices;
(2) whether he will seek to obtain from the New Zealand Government copies of their official statement entitled "Britain, New Zealand and the European Economic Community", and arrange to circulate them to each Member of both Houses of Parliament.
§ Mr. RipponI have received from the hon. Member a copy of the publication referred to. We have had no request from the New Zealand Government for comment on the publication. Its circulation is a matter for the New Zealand authorities.
§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs why he will not seek to arrange with other applicant countries for membership of the European Economic Community an international referendum on entry, when the terms are known, for the guidance of the respective national parliaments.
§ Mr. RipponThe result in an international referendum would not necessarily be relevant to the decision in any individual applicant country. In arriving at a decision on terms agreed in the negotiations with the European Communities we will follow established constitutional processes.
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§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has received the communication from the hon. Member for West Ham, North, sent under date of 10th April, 1971, regarding various matters concerning the European Economic Community's budget payments issue; and whether he will make a statement in connection therewith.
§ Mr. RipponI have received the communication to which the hon. Member refers. Her Majesty's Government is negotiating with the European Communities and not with individual member governments. Valuable bilateral contacts with governments of the Six will continue, but we seek to resolve the question of Britain's contribution to the Community budget in the negotiating conference.
§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he is aware that the French representatives in Brussels are anxious to postpone the European Economic Community negotiations for Great Britain's entry into the European Economic Community from 11th-12th May until later in the year; and, as there is a need for more discussions to take place in Great Britain on questions affecting the British Commonwealth, whether he will support the French in their approach for a postponement of talks until the autumn.
§ Mr. RipponHer Majesty's Government is negotiating with the Communities and not with individual member governments. The Communities have not suggested to us the postponement of any meeting or postponement of discussions. The agreement in March that Ministers should meet for a longer period in May reflects the view of the negotiating conference that real progress should be possible at that time.
§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals he will put before the European Economic Community negotiating meeting to be held on 11th May; and whether he will make a statement.
§ Mr. RipponProposals to be made at the negotiating meeting with the European 11W Economic Community on 11th May must remain confidential.
§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs why, during Great Britain's negotiations with the European Economic Community on possible terms of entry, he will not request the countries of the Six to contribute towards the costs of protection of the sea routes from the Far East and round the Cape of Good Hope, which are now being borne by British public funds.
§ Mr. RipponThe protection of sea routes is not a matter which arises in the negotiations for Britain's entry into the European Economic Community.
§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he is now able to make a statement on the results of his study of the implications of the draft directives for the British insurance industry, as proposed by the Commission of the European Economic Community, and his consultations with British insurers concerning the same.
§ Mr. RipponNo. We are still studying the drafts.
§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he is aware that since Her Majesty's Government has started negotiations for entry into the European Economic Community, unemployment in Great Britain has risen to 814,000, and, as under any terms or conditions of entry migrants from each of the countries of the Six will be enabled to come to the United Kingdom and take jobs, with a preference over British Commonwealth citizens, he will, in the light of the changed circumstances resulting from growing unemployment, advise our negotiators to Brussels not to accept interchangeability of labour as one of the conditions of Great Britain's entry into the European Economic Community.
§ Mr. RipponHer Majesty's Government sees no reason to vary its policy in relation to the provisions on free movement of labour in the Treaty of Rome and Community legislation. Already the high wages and opportunities offered in the European Economic Community are12W attracting workers from the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to what extent under the present or proposed Common Market tobacco policies cigars will be cheaper in Great Britain on Great Britain's entry into the European Economic Community on present known terms.
§ Mr. RipponIt would be premature to formulate estimates before all the relevant proposals have been considered by the European Economic Community Council of Ministers.