§ Mrs. Winifred Ewingasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the Government's policy with regard to the EEC Commission's demand for powers to take over economic planning in any member State which is in relatively permanent economic crisis.
§ Mr. DellI have been asked to reply.
No proposal of this nature has been put forward. If it were, the Government would reject it.
§ Mr. Simsasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has about the arrangements that exist in each of the countries of the European Economic Community to permit nationals of those countries resident abroad to vote in parliamentary elections and national referenda.
§ Mr. Hattersley,pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 27th March 1975; Vol. 889, c. 293], gave the following information:
Of the eight other member countries of the Community, France has a system of proxy voting for nationals resident abroad. Italy and Luxembourg have provision for nationals resident abroad to return to their country to vote. Danish nationals normally resident in Denmark but temporarily abroad may vote at Danish consulates and embassies. Germany and Belgium have restricted service voting arrangements similar to our own. Postal votes are available in the Republic of Ireland to members of the police and 359W Armed Forces, whether at home or abroad. The Netherlands have no arrangements for their nationals resident abroad to vote.