§ Mr. Roseasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will now seek to meet with the representatives of Norway, Denmark and Ireland with a view to aligning 286W policies in the European Economic Community intended to promote regional policies for development, industry, agriculture and fishing.
§ Mr. RipponHer Majesty's Government continue to keep in close touch with the countries of the European Economic Community and the acceding countries on all questions related to the enlarged Community.
§ Mr. Roseasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will now seek to meet with representatives of Sweden to seek an alignment of policies in respect of the associate membership by Sweden of the European Economic Community.
§ Mr. RipponNo. Sweden and other European Free Trade Association non-applicants have begun to negotiate bilateral agreements with the Commission of the European Economic Community on the basis of a mandate approved by the Council of Ministers. Britain, together with the other acceding countries and the present members of the Community participate as observers in these negotiations and are consulted by the Commission.
§ Mr. Roseasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is now taking to procure a rationalisation and expansion of the aircraft industry within member States of the European Economic Community based on a European industry and a European home market within the Community.
§ Mr. CorfieldI have been asked to reply.
Her Majesty's Government continue to take every opportunity to discuss with other members of the European Community the evolution of a European aerospace industry and encourages United Kingdom aerospace companies to pursue similar objectives.
§ Mr. Roseasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether it will now be the policy of Her Majesty's Government to press for greater attention to regional incentives and worker participation within the European Economic Community; and whether he will seek to extend to this country those aspects of worker participation in 287W management that obtain in countries within the European Economic Community.
§ Mr. Anthony GrantI have been asked to reply.
As my right hon. Friend told the House on 16th February, we shall, as a member of the enlarged Community, devote a major effort to the development of Community regional policies which take the problems of older industrial areas such as our own development areas fully into account. As regards worker participation further consideration and consultations will be needed before firm views can be formed.
§ Mr. Roseasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether it will now be the policy of Her Majesty's Government to press for the implementation of Article 138(3) of the Treaty of Rome; and whether he will consider advocating the system of regional elections based on a single transferable vote.
§ Mr. RipponHer Majesty's Government's policy on direct elections to the European Parliament was explained by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 23rd November. With regard to the hon. Member's proposals, Article 138(3) of the European Economic Community Treaty provides that proposals shall be drawn up by the Assembly and that the Council shall recommend the appropriate provisions to member States for adoption in accordance with their constitutional requirements.—[Vol. 826, c. 1132–3.]
§ Mr. Roseasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will now seek to extend the powers of the European Assembly within the European Economic Community in order to extend this method of democratic control of the Community.
§ Mr. RipponThe Commission of the European Economic Community is to make proposals on this subject in the summer of this year. Her Majesty's Government are of course well aware of the importance of the subject and we shall wish to discuss it in due course with our future partners in the Community.