§ Mr. Meacherasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish such analysis as has been undertaken on the expected impact of the European monetary system on the United Kingdom if the United Kingdom were to join, including the economic effects on employment, inflation, balance of payments, investment and growth in the United Kingdom.
§ Sir Geoffrey Howe[pursuant to the reply, 18 December 1979]: A great deal of economic analysis of the effects on the United Kingdom of membership of the EMS was given in evidence by various bodies to the Sub-Committee of the General Expenditure Committee which inquired into the EMS in November 1978. Among the bodies which contributed their views were the National Institute of Economic and Social Research, L. Messel and Company, the London Business School, W. Greenwell and Company, the Cambridge university department of applied economics and the Fabian Society. I do not think I can usefully add to this weight of economic argument at present.