§ Mr. Juddasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement on the steps taken by the Government during negotiations for possible entry by Great Britain to the European Economic Community to ensure that following any such 346W entry the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards the recommendations made and resolutions adopted by United Nations Commonwealth Trade and Development and General Agreement on Trade and Tariffs favouring trade and products of the developing countries will not be affected by the European Economic Community trade and tariffs policies.
§ Mr. RipponThis was not a negotiating issue. As a member of an enlarged Community, the United Kingdom will have a full say in the Community's trade and tariff policies. The existing Community was the first donor to implement its offer under the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development Generalised Preferences Scheme.
§ Mr. Martenasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will set out all the factors which he took into account when arriving at a figure of £100 million as the possible United Kingdom receipts from the Community budget in 1977, indicating the degree to which precise assessments were possible.
§ Mr. RipponParagraph 6 of Annex A of the White Paper (Cmnd. 4715) gives a break-down of Community expenditure in 1971. The Government made a detailed examination of each of these heads and concluded that under present policies the best estimate of our likely total receipts in 1977 was £100 million. This did not take account of the possible introduction of Community policies for other purposes such as industrial or regional development from which we might expect greater benefits than from existing patterns of expenditure, because to do so would be too speculative.
§ Mr. Kilfedderasked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will give details of the European Economic Community regulations as to the rights of fishermen from within the Community to settle in the fishing ports of another member State and to start a fishing business there.
§ Mr. RipponThe measures taken by the Community under Article 54 of the Treaty of Rome do not extend to fishing activities.
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§ Mr. Kilfedderasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals he now intends to put to the European Economic Community in order to safeguard the British in-shore fishing industry; and whether he will keep in mind the special problem for Northern Ireland should the Community agree to different arrangements for the Republic of Ireland.
§ Mr. RipponAs to the first part of the Question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the references to fisheries in my statement to the House on 14th July on the progress of our negotiations with the Community.
In answer to the second part of the Question, Her Majesty's Government are taking fully into account in the negotiations the interests of all areas, including Northern Ireland, and are in close touch with the Government of Northern Ireland.—[Vol. 821, c. 493–5.]
§ Mr. David Clarkasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received from the Government of the United States of America and United States organisations, respectively, in connection with the effect of British acceptance of the common agricultural policy as one of the terms for European Economic Community entry.
§ Mr. RipponThe acceptance by the United Kingdom of the European Economic Community's common agricultural policy in the event of her entry into the Community was one of the subjects discussed with the United States Administration when I visited the United States in March, and in subsequent discussions at official level both in the United States and in London. The views of the United States Administration on this aspect of the European Economic Community and their overall support for the enlargement of the Community are well known. No representations have been made to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office by United States organisations in connection with the terms of entry into the European Economic Community. I am aware of anxieties that have been expressed publicly, but would refer hon. Members to the answers given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 3rd August.—[Vol. 822, c. 1328–30.]