§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement on the present proposals and agreements operated in the European Economic Community to ensure that international football stars from the European Economic Community must be enabled to join British football clubs teams on British entry into the European Economic Community; how this will affect clubs who wish to remain British with British players; and whether he will make a statement.
§ Mr. RipponThe European Community has taken no decision on whether a footballer would, in the exercise of his profession, be entitled to the benefits of the provisions of the Treaty of Rome on free movement of labour. If we join the Communities the Community provisions on free movement of labour will not oblige an employer to engage a European Economic Community worker, but are designed to provide equality of opportunity to seek work within European Economic Community countries.
§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to what extent he considers that negotiations for Great Britain's possible entry into the European Economic Community will have progressed enough for him to put proposals before Parliament before the end of June, 1971; and to what extent during the negotiations in 332W Brussels in the week ending Saturday, 20th February, the Commission's Director was able to promise a settlement of outstanding issues by the end of June.
§ Mr. RipponI am satisfied with progress in the negotiations, though I have made clear to the Community that much remains to be done. There were no meetings of the negotiation conference in the week ending 20th February. I am not yet able to forecast the exact timetable for the conclusion of the negotiations nor for Her Majesty's Government's course of action thereafter.