§ Mr. Bodyasked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he will list the occasions on which he has had to consult the Commission of the EEC, in accordance with Community law or practice, before making a decision as to the policy of Her Majesty's Government.
§ Mr. Benn, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 20th December 1974; Vol. 883, c. 698], gave the following information:
On 20th December I undertook to report further to the House about the occasions on which I have been obliged to consult the Commission on policy matters under the terms of the European Communities Treaties.
First, Article 93.3 of the Treaty of Rome requires that the Commission should be informed, in sufficient time to enable it to submit its comments, of any plans to grant or alter grants of aid. Since March 1974 the Commission has had to be informed of such plans in cases which are the responsibility of my Department on the following occasions:
- (i) the decision to change assisted area boundaries;
- (ii) proposals to grant selective assistance under Section 8 of the Industry Act 1972 to the following firms:
- (a) Marine Oil Industry Repair and Maintenance Ltd;
- (b) Salvesen Offshore Holdings Ltd;
- (c) Meriden Co-operative;
- (d) Alfred Herbert Ltd;
- (c) Aston Martin Lagonda Ltd;
- (f) Scientific and Medical Instruments Ltd;
- (g) British Leyland Motor Corporation Ltd.
Secondly, at the Government's request the Commission took a decision on 25th June 1974 authorising the establishment in the United Kingdom of an open general export licence system for iron and steel products.