§ Mr. Roperasked the Secretary of State for Energy whether the Treaty of Rome 331W will be applied to the Continental Shelf; and what legal powers this will give the Commission.
§ Mr. John SmithThe question of the application of the Treaty of Rome to the Continental Shelf is unresolved. If the treaty were applied to the shelf this would not mean the creation of powers which are not applicable on land. The British Government would retain full national sovereignty over mineral deposits.