HC Deb 20 July 1971 vol 821 cc257-60W
51. Mr. Spearing

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will take steps to ensure that the measures contained in the substantial consequential legislation required by any decisions to accede to the Treaty of Rome, are, together with their likely consequences, given the fullest publicity prior to September next.

Mr. Anthony Royle

No, I would refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 17th June.—[Vol. 819, c. 643–5.]

Mr. Marten

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the estimated number of British civil servants by various grades who will be required for the various Common Market authorities should the United Kingdom join the Communities.

Mr. Anthony Royle

It is not yet possible to give an estimate of the number of British civil servants who might be employed within the institutions of the European Communities in the event of the United Kingdom's accession to the Treaty of Rome.

Mr. Marten

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will state the cost to date of, respectively, production, distribution and advertising the documents called, "Fact-sheets on Britain and Europe", and similar costs for the popular edition of the White Paper on the European Economic Community.

Mr. Rippon

The estimated cost of producing the Factsheets to date amounts to £203,250 and distribution has cost a further £52,600. The corresponding amounts spent on the short version of the White Paper are £170,000 and £21,000, respectively. Advertising for the Fact-sheets has to date cost £86,150. No separate advertising has been undertaken for the short version of the White Paper.

Mr. Arthur Lewis

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) whether he will make a statement giving the full and complete details, as supplied to the hon. Member for West Ham, North in his letter to him sent on 7th July, 1971, showing to what extent the present practices whereby Parliament has power to reject rules, regulations, and decisions of the Executive will be abolished when Great Britain signs the Treaty of Rome;

(2) whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the two communications sent to him by the hon. Member for West Ham, North on 16th June and his reply thereto on 7th July, 1971, regarding the restrictions placed upon the British House of Commons in the event of Great Britain entering the European Economic Community;

(3) whether he will make a statement, with examples, relating to the subject matter of his letter to the hon. Member for West Ham, North, sent on 7th July, 1971, which stated that under Article 18 of the Treaty of Rome regulations and decisions are binding in their entirety and that the House of Commons would have to refrain from taking any action which would be inconsistent with these regulations and decisions;

(4) whether he will make a statement, with examples, on the subject-matter of his letter to the hon. Member for West Ham, North, on 7th July, 1971, which stated that the House of Commons would only be able to amend or alter legislation which the Government put forward to give statutory effect to matters connected with the European Economic Community and its directives so long as such changes which the House of Commons made were not such as to frustrate the required result of any such directives;

(5) whether he will state in respect of each of the five categories of instruments, namely regulations, directives, decisions, recommendations and opinions made under the Rome Treaty and the European Economic Community rules, which are binding, and to what extent the House of Commons could move for alteration, amendment or rejection of each of them.

Mr. Rippon

It would not be appropriate to publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the communications referred to, but my letter of 7th July explained that under Article 189 of the European Economic Community Treaty Community regulations and decisions are binding in their entirety. In consequence, if Parliament approves a treaty providing for British membership of the European Communities, it would have to refrain from any action inconsistent with this treaty. In relation to directives, which are binding as to the result to be achieved, my letter explained that Parliament should be free to take action, including amending or altering legislation presented to give effect to them, so long as the action does not frustrate the required result of the directive.

Community recommendations and opinions, are, according to Article 189 of the European Economic Community Treaty, without binding force, and, therefore, could not affect Parliament's freedom of action.

If we join the European Communities we shall be fully represented in its institutions and able to influence Community legislation in its formative stages.