§ Mr. Wilkinsonasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will tabulate the monthly figures of passengers carried from Leeds/Bradford airport on scheduled and inclusive tour and charter flights, respectively, for January-June, 1971, compared with the same period for 1970.
§ Mr. NobleFollowing is the available information:
monwealth Affairs if he will include in the White Paper on proposed entry to the European Economic Community a statement as to the current position in respect of the Community's draft directives in regard to the qualifications for medicine, 187W nursing and midwifery and an assessment of their effect on the standards of these professions in the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. Anthony RoyleNo. The scope of the White Paper was defined by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister in his statement on 17th June. The European Economic Community draft directives on the harmonisation of professional qualifications are still subject to considerable revision and speculation about their final content would not be appropriate.—[Vol. 819, c. 643–5.]
§ 76. Sir D. Walker-Smithasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will include in the White Paper on proposed entry to the European Economic Community a statement as to the progress and prospects of the restructuring of agriculture in the Community and an assessment of the said position on the pattern of receipts from the Community budget.
§ Mr. Anthony RoyleThe scope of the forthcoming White Paper was defined by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister in his statement on 17th June. It will refer to receipts from the Community budget in the context of the arrangements agreed for Her Majesty's Government's financial contribution to the Community.—[Vol. 819, c. 643–45.]
§ Mr. Spearingasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will include in the forthcoming White Paper on the European Economic Community details of the enabling legislation that would be necessary in the event of Parliament approving the terms of entry.
§ Mr. RipponI have nothing to add at present to the statement by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 17th June.—[Vol. 819, c. 644.]
§ Sir D. Walker-Smithasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will include in the White Paper on proposed entry into the European Economic Community an appendix setting out all the regulations and other instruments, indicating the substantial effect thereof, which will apply to Great Britain in the event of her joining the European Economic Community.
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§ Mr. RipponIt will not be possible to include information in this detail in the White Paper, but full details of the extent to which United Kingdom laws would require modification if the United Kingdom joined the European Communities will be made available to the House at the appropriate time.
§ Sir D. Walker-Smithasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will include in the White Paper on proposed entry into the European Economic Community an explanation of the processes whereby it is proposed to give effect to the regulations and other instruments operative in the European Economic Community, together with an indication of the discretion, if any, of the British Parliament in this context.
§ Mr. RipponIt would not be appropriate to include this information in the forthcoming White Paper, the scope of which was defined in my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister's statement of 17th June. The information will, however, be made available at an appropriate time.—[Vol. 819, c. 643–45.]
§ Sir D. Walker-Smithasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will include in the White Paper on proposed entry into the European Economic Community a statement as to whether Her Majesty's Government propose to seek an amendment to Article 189 of the Treaty of Rome to make the unanimity rule applicable to the making of regulations which will be directly applicable in the United Kingdom in the event of Great Britain joining the Community.
§ Mr. RipponI am not able to anticipate in detail the content of the White Paper on this point but would refer hon. Members to my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister's statement on 24th May that we are in agreement with the Community practice of requiring that when vital national interests of any one or more members are at stake Community decisions should be taken by unanimous agreement.—[Vol. 818, c. 32.]
§ Sir D. Walker-Smithasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) whether he will include in the 189W White Paper on the proposed entry to the European Economic Community a statement of what action is proposed by Her Majesty's Government in respect of adherence to the so-called Luxembourg Convention, and how it is proposed to be effected, together with the view of Her Majesty's Government on the juridical effect of the said Convention where it is in conflict with the terms of the Treaty of Rome;
(2) whether he will include in the White Paper on proposed entry to the European Economic Community a statement of the steps whereby Her Majesty's Government propose to secure the appropriate revision of the Treaty of Rome to give effect to the agreement reached between the Prime Minister and the French President on the respective powers and functions of the Council and Commission of the European Economic Community and on the right of veto.
§ Mr. RipponIn his statement of 24th May my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister explained that we would accept the existing Community practice requiring decisions to be taken by unanimous agreement when the vital national interests of any one or more members are at stake. Her Majesty's Government's future policy in this matter, if the United Kingdom joins the Communities, is not a matter which would be appropriate to the forthcoming White Paper.—[Vol. 818, c. 31–5.]
§ Sir D. Walker-Smithasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will include in the White Paper on proposed entry into the European Economic Community an appendix setting out which decisions, actions, and instruments, respectively, of the Council and the Commission of the European Economic Community require, under the provisions of the Treaty of Rome, unanimous vote and which require only a qualified majority.
§ Mr. RipponNo. These matters fall to be decided in the light of the Treaties establishing the European Communities, in conjunction with the accepted practice explained by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister, that when vital national interests of any one or more members are at stake decisions should be taken by unanimous agreement.—[Vol. 818, c. 31–5.]
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§ Sir D. Walker-Smithasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will include in the White Paper on proposed entry into the European Economic Community a statement as to whether it is Her Majesty's Government's intention to seek any amendment of the provisions of the Treaty of Rome specifying the requirements, respectively, of a unanimous vote and a qualified majority.
§ Mr. RipponAs I told the House in my Statement on 24th June, we have agreed arrangements with the Six for British participation in the main institutions of the Community. The White Paper will cover this aspect of the negotiations.—[Vol. 819, c. 1604–10.]
§ Sir D. Walker-Smithasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will include in the White Paper on the proposed entry to the European Economic Community a statement as to the position of the non-applicant countries of the European Free Trade Association in respect of liability to, or exemption from, the common external tariff of the Six, together with similar information in respect of the countries of the Commonwealth.
§ Mr. RipponIn so far as these issues have been covered in the negotiations, reference will be made to them in the White Paper.
§ Sir D. Walker-Smithasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will include in the White Paper on the proposed entry to the European Economic Community a statement of any undertakings, express or implied, whereby Her Majesty's Government propose to limit the freedom of action of Government or Parliament during the transitional period by accepting a right of veto by the Community or the requirement of prior consultation and approval by it.
§ Mr. RipponIn joining the European Communities Her Majesty's Government would be accepting the obligations of the Treaties establishing the Communities. I cannot however anticipate the details of the White Paper on this issue.
§ Sir D. Walker-Smithasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will include 191W in the White Paper on the proposed entry to the European Economic Community a full catalogue of all matters accepted by Her Majesty's Government at the start of the negotiations in 1970, or preliminary thereto, or as a condition thereof.
§ Mr. RipponThe position of Her Majesty's Government at the commencement of the present negotiations was explained in the White Paper of 30th June, 1970. The forthcoming White Paper will set out in detail the arrangements agreed in the negotiations since 30th June and Her Majesty's Government's conclusions on whether they form a satisfactory basis for joining the European Economic Community.
§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether, before recommending to Parliament the terms and conditions for Great Britain's entry into the European Economic Community, he will agree to discuss such terms with the Trade Union Congress and request permission to address their annual conference on such matters.
§ Mr. RipponI have had regular contact with representatives of the Trades Union Congress throughout the negotiations. Invitations to address their annual conference are a matter for them.
§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether, in all of his public statements and discussions on matters pertaining to Great Britain's possible entry into the Common Market, he will request the general public to write to him giving their views and opinions on whether or not they are in support of Great Britain's entry on the terms and conditions as now proposed.
§ Mr. RipponThe general public are well aware that they may write to Ministers and to their own Member of Parliament about the negotiations, and many of them do so.