§ Mr. Wallasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much aid each of the remaining colonies and dependencies are receiving from Her Majesty's Government.
§ Mr. KershawFollowing are the figures for 1969–70, the latest year for which information is available:
has made no estimate. The existing Funds have been set up under the Yaounde Convention and its predecessors, and that Convention will expire on 31st January, 1975. The form of any future Convention, the size of any Fund to be established thereunder, and the proportionate contributions of the individual members in an enlarged Community to such a Fund will only be determined in negotiations due to start in August/September, 1973.
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§ 48. Mr. Eadieasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a further statement arising out of his official meeting on 1st February with representatives of the European Economic Community.
§ 64. Mr. Blakerasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the latest position in the negotiations for British entry into the European Economic Community.
§ 69. Mr. St. John-Stevasasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a further statement on the state of the negotiations for British entry to the European Economic Community.
§ 88. Mr. Matherasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the current position in the Common Market negotiations.
§ 93. Mr. Mayhewasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the progress of the negotiations for Great Britain's entry into the European Economic Community.
§ Mr. RipponI have nothing to add at present to my statement to the House of 4th February. I shall continue to make regular statements after Ministerial Meetings with the Communities and when events justify this, as in the case of my Caribbean visit about which I shall be making a statement later today.—[Vol. 810, c. 1936–7.]
§ 49. Mr. Eadieasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has received from leaders of the coal and steel industries in the United Kingdom in order to enable him to negotiate a suitable transitional period for those industries on entry to the European Economic Community.
§ Mr. RipponHer Majesty's Government maintains the closest consultation with the National Coal Board and the public and private sectors of the steel industry on all aspects of the negotiations for membership of the European Communities.
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§ 50. Mr. Awdryasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his estimate of the effect of the enlargement of the European Community on the development of European defence policy within the Atlantic Alliance.
§ 58. Mr. Adleyasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the advantages to Great Britain of the more closely integrated defence policy with the Six that membership of the European Economic Community will make possible than is possible in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation alone.
§ Mr. RipponIt has been the belief of successive British Governments that the enlargement of the European Economic Community will strengthen the contribution to her own defence which Europe can make within the Atlantic Alliance.
§ 52. Mr. Knoxasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the dates of forthcoming Ministerial and deputies' meetings so far arranged, with regard to the European Economic Community negotiations.
§ Mr. RipponThere are to be Ministerial negotiating meetings on 16th March, 11th May and 22nd June. It is not excluded that meetings may he longer or more frequent than this if necessary. Meetings at Deputy level will take place on the 23rd and 24th February, 9th and 10th March, 24th and 25th March, and provisionally on 6th and 7th April and on 21st and 22nd April.
§ 53. Mr. Knoxasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what official contacts he has had in recent weeks with European Economic Community countries apart from the negotiating conferences.
§ Mr. RipponI visited Luxembourg on 11th January for the Western European Union Ministerial meeting. In London I met M. Deniau of the Commission of the European Communities on 4th January, Dr. Ferrari Aggradi the Italian Minister of Finance on 3rd February. On 4th February both my right hon. Friend and I had discussions with Dr. Scheel the West German Foreign Minister.
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§ 57. Mr. Moateasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the increase in the Community Budget if a plan for structural reform of agriculture on the lines of the Mansholt plan were to be introduced, and of the cost to the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. RipponThe Council of Ministers of the European Communities have taken no decision on the Commission's revised proposals for structural reform of agriculture. It would not therefore be realistic at this stage to publish detailed figures for their effect on the Community budget or on the size of the United Kingdom contribution, the range of which, of course, remains a matter for negotiation.
§ 59. Mr. Scottasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has received in the course of negotiations for United Kingdom membership of the European Economic Community of the trades union organisations within the Community which are opposing the continuance of the European Community.
§ Mr. RipponThe information available to me shows that trade unions in the Six fully support the continuation of the European Economic Community.
§ 60. Mr. Hornbyasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if Her Majesty's Government have consulted with the European Community about ways in which the United Kingdom could fulfil her responsibilities to the Third World as members of an enlarged Community.
§ Mr. RipponBoth Britain and the European Community have always taken their full share of responsibility towards the developing countries. We would expect to continue to do so within an enlarged Community.
§ 63. Mr. Blakerasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about his latest discussions with other member countries of the European Free Trade Association regarding their future relationship with the European Economic Community.
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§ Mr. RipponWe are in close and regular touch with our E.F.T.A. partners. The next E.F.T.A. Ministerial Council meeting is to be held on 13th and 14th of May.
§ 65. Mr. Moateasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many regulations, currently in force, have been issued by the Commission of the European Economic Community under the terms of the Treaty of Rome.
§ Mr. RipponThere are approximately 3,000 regulations, directives and decisions of the European Economic Community currently in force.
§ 67. Mr. Pavittasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, in the negotiations with the European Economic Community Great Britain accepts the three draft directives published in March, 1969, which enable doctors to practise in any member State, which make mutual recognition of doctors' qualifications obligatory and which co-ordinate legislation, what effect he estimates they would have on the National Health Service; and what consultation he has had with the British Medical Association, the Medical Practitioners' Union and the Junior Hospital Doctors' Association on this matter.
§ Mr. RipponThe draft directives have not yet been agreed by the Community. Her Majesty's Government are watching the situation closely.
There is full consultation between Her Majesty's Government and the General Medical Council and the British Medical Association about developments in the Community and the likely effects of our entry.
§ 71. Mr. Tebbitasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, in the event of British membership of the Communities, the Commonwealth will benefit from the European Development Fund.
§ Mr. RipponWe expect that Commonwealth countries which become associated with the Community under arrangements succeeding the present Yaounde Convention will benefit from any aid programme established under those arrangements.
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§ 73. Mr. Scottasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on which European Economic Community bodies the trade unions are represented.
§ Mr. RipponTrade unions of the Six are represented on more than twenty committees reporting to the Commission of the Communities. They are also represented on the recently established Committee on Employment which links representatives of the Council of Ministers, Commission, trade unions and employers, and they take one-third of the seats on the Economic and Social Committee, one of the Community institutions set up by the Treaty of Rome.
§ 87. Mr. Shoreasked the Secretary of Slate for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his present estimate of the annual amount that Great Britain would have to contribute to the budget of the European Economic Community at the end of the proposed transitional period; and what percentage of the total budget of an enlarged Community this would represent.
§ Mr. RipponThe range of the United Kingdom contribution to the budget of the European Economic Community remains a matter for negotiation. I gave estimates in my statement on 16th December and in answers following that Statement. It is impossible accurately to assess our contribution 10 years from now in view of the uncertainties about the levels of Community and world prices, the pattern of United Kingdom imports, the scale of our domestic production. and the size of the Community budget.—[Vol. 808, c. 1354–70.]
§ 95. Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will place in the Library the evidence upon which he bases his claim that the European Economic Community's entry requirements are similar to those of a secret society; and whether he will make a statement on the discussions which ensued in Brussels on Tuesday, 2nd February, 1971.
§ Mr. RipponMy reference to entry requirements similar to those of a secret society was made in the context of an exchange of views on the question of Community finance. on which I reported12W to the House on 4th February.—[Vol 810, c. 1937.]
§ 100. Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether, in view of the attitude being adopted by the French delegates to the European Economic Community negotiations for Great Britain's entry into the Common Market as expressed in Brussels on Tuesday, 2nd February, he will now withdraw Great Britain's application and cease negotiations for any terms of entry.
§ Mr. RipponNo.
§ 104. Mr. Murrayasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will publish details of the factual basis upon which he assessed the net annual cost to the United Kingdom of European Economic Community membership at the end of the transitional period as being in the range of £260 million to £480 million.
§ Mr. RipponThe figure of £260 million is made up by the addition of £60 million (being the lower estimate of the net contribution to Community budget arrived at by subtracting approximately £100 million estimated receipts from 13 per cent. of $3,000 million) and of £200 million, which was the lower of my estimates for the adverse impact effects on trade balances. Similarly, £480 million is the sum of £300 million, the higher of my estimates for the adverse impact effects on trade balances, and £180 million, which is the higher estimate for the net contribution to Community budget representing 15 per cent. of $4,500 million less the same figure for receipts.
The figures for the adverse impact effects on trade balances were stated to be speculative. They are influenced by increased food import bills and their effect on competitiveness, and by tariff changes.
§ 105. Miss Lestorasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he can now say what the position will be of Commonwealth workers in the United Kingdom in relation to their acceptance into the European Economic Community as community workers in the event of United Kingdom entry into the Community.
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§ Mr. RipponI would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Walthamstow, West (Mr. Deakins) earlier today.
§ 107. Mr. Frank Allaunasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what control of exports of capital to other countries of the European Economic Community there will be should Great Britain become a member of the European Economic Community.
§ Mr. RipponAs a member of the Community the United Kingdom would comply with the Community's rules on freedom of capital movement after a transitional period.
§ 108. Mr. Frank Allaunasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many regulations have been issued to date by the European Economic Community which would have to be accepted by the United Kingdom, involving a change of British law, should this country join the European Economic Community.
§ Mr. RipponRegulations of the European Economic Community are of direct application in Member States. So far some 8,000 regulations have been issued of which about 2,000 are still in force. A detailed examination in conjunction with the Commission of the European Communities forms part of our current negotiations for entry.
This examination has revealed so far that only a very small proportion of the regulations, estimated at less than 1 per cent., would require any amendment to English law should this country join the European Economic Community.
§ Mr. Maclennanasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a further statement on the progress of negotiations for Great Britain to join the European Economic Community.
§ Mr. Moateasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a further statement on the progress of negotiations on United Kingdom membership of the European Economic Community.
§ Mr. RipponI would refer to the answer I gave earlier today to the hon.14W Member for Midlothian (Mr. Eadie) and other hon. Members.
§ Mr. Moateasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals he has made to members of the European Economic Community regarding the imposition of the value-added tax in the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. RipponI would refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave earlier to the hon. Members for Bolsover (Mr. Skinner) and Banbury (Mr. Marten). We have proposed to the Community a five-year transitional period for fiscal har-monisation. This would apply to the introduction of a value-added tax which we shall have to adopt if we join the Community.
§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he is now able to state what the basic minimum terms would be for Her Majesty's Government to recommend acceptance to the House of Commons and the electorate for admission into the European Economic Community; and why, when such terms were not yet available, he made a statement stating that Her Majesty's Government hoped to sign the Rome Treaty by the end of the year, before Parliament and the electorate have been consulted.
§ Mr. RipponThe terms on which Her Majesty's Government might recommend acceptance of entry into the European Communities remain a matter for negotiation. At this stage in the negotiations It is not for me to state what minimum terms would be acceptable to Her Majesty's Government. We seek terms which are tolerable in the short term and clearly and visibly beneficial in the long term.
If Her Majesty's Government decide to introduce an instrument of accession to the treaties of the Communities, this will be the subject of full consideration and discussion in Parliament.