§ 43. Mr. Willeyasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement on the investigation by the European Communities Commission of the question of a record being made of every person.
§ Mr. Russell Johnstonasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make it his policy that the compulsory holding 13W of a civil record, as is normal practice in certain EEC member States, will under no circumstances be proposed for the United Kingdom following British entry into the European Communities.
§ Mr. John DaviesIn an interim reply to a question tabled on 2nd August 1972 in the European Parliament the European Commission stated that it was studying the possibility of harmonising the procedures followed in Community countries for the maintenance of civil records of individual citizens. As regards practice in the United Kingdom, the Central Statistical Office has explained to the Commission that no centralised comprehensive register of population is maintained in this country, and that the Government have no plans to create one.
§ Mr. Deakinsasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which section of his Department deals with matters of Common Market monetary and economic union; and if he will list by grade the numbers of staff employed therein and the annual cost.
§ Lord BalnielVarious officials in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office deal from time to time with matters relating to European economic and monetary union. The two deparments mainly concerned are the European Integration Department and the Financial Relations Department. Within these Departments one Grade 4 officer and one Grade 5 in the former, and one Grade 4 and two Grade 5 officers in the latter, deal with the day to day questions that arise. None is exclusively engaged on this work.
It is not possible to provide a cash figure for the annual cost since the amount of time spent on economic and monetary union matters by these officers fluctuates considerably as does that done by their support staff and by other members of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office who are involved from time to time.
§ Miss Lestorasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs why the EEC countries have agreed to reduce Europe's tariffs on South African citrus fruit from 15 per cent. to five per cent. for the next two years.
§ Mr. John DaviesThe tariff reductions introduced by the EEC apply to all third14W country suppliers. They were first introduced in 1971. The precise rates of reduction and periods of application vary according to type of citrus fruit.
The reasons for the reductions are given in the relevant Community regulations (Nos. 1642/71 of 26th July 1971 and 780/72 of 17th April 1972). They respond to the desire expressed by several countries to have easier access to the EEC market, and are in fulfilment of an undertaking given to the United States.
§ Mr. Spearingasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT the subjects and objectives of any draft or proposed regulations and directives published or otherwise made known by the Commission of the EEC, which were under consideration on 1st January 1973.
§ Mr. Anthony RoyleI understand that the Secretariat of the European Commission is currently producing a document listing all the proposals put by the commission to the council and still pending. This document is expected to appear soon and copies will be made available to Members through the Vote Office.