§ Mr. McQuarrieasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he had discussions with his Spanish counterpart on the question of Gibraltar during the NATO alliance meeting on 10 June; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. RifkindWhen my right hon. Friend attended the NATO summit on 10 June he had some discussion with the Spanish Foreign Minister on a variety of subjects, as he did with other NATO colleagues. This discussion included the subject of Gibraltar, in the context of implementation, on 25 June, of the Lisbon agreement.
§ Mr. McQuarrieasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) whether further progress has been made between Her Majesty's Government and the Spanish Government on the lifting of the restrictions at the border between Gibraltar and Spain; and if he will make a statement;
(2) whether he has received an assurance from the Spanish Government that the Spanish border between Gibraltar and Spain will be opened on 25 June.
§ Mr. RifkindI would refer my hon. Friend to the reply my right hon. Friend the Member for Mid-Oxon (Mr. Hurd) gave on 5 May to the hon. Member for Battersea, South (Mr. Dubs). Both Her Majesty's Government and the Spanish Government are committed to the implementation of the Lisbon agreement on 25 June.
§ Mr. McQuarrieasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what guidance has been issued to the people of Gibraltar who wish to apply for the status of British nationals which was granted to the inhabitants of that dependent territory under the British Nationality Act; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. RifkindThe Gibraltar authorities are carrying out a study of the procedures they will need to adopt in order to deal with applications for British citizenship. They expect to issue guidance to the Gibraltar public well before the British Nationality Act takes effect in January 1983.
§ Mr. McQuarrieasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he intends to attend the Sintra talks between Her Majesty's Government and the Spanish Government on 25 June.
§ Mr. RifkindYes.