§ Mr. McQuarrieasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs why the talks between Her Majesty's Government and the Spanish Government on the Lisbon agreement and the lifting of restrictions on Gibraltar which were to have taken place at Sintra were postponed; whether he has any plans to rearrange them; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. HurdI refer my hon. Friend to the statement my right hon. Friend made in the House on 22 June.—[Vol. 26, c. 155.]
§ Mr. McQuarrieasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has any plans to meet political leaders in Gibraltar to discuss the impact which the further postponement of the lifting of restrictions on the dependent territory of Gibraltar by the Spanish Government will have on the economy of that territory.
§ Mr. PymI intend to have early discussions on all aspects of the present situation with the Chief Minister of Gibraltar and the Leader of the Opposition.
§ Mr. McQuarrieasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to oppose the accession of Spain to the European Economic Community so long as the restrictions on the dependent territory of Gibraltar, imposed by the Spanish Government, remain in force; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. PymThe Government support Spain's application to join the European Community. We have, however, made clear to the Spanish Government our view that it is inconceivable that there should be a closed frontier between two members of the Community.
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§ Mr. McQuarrieasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he is satisfied that the Spanish Government are fully aware of Her Majesty's Government's policy that no transfer of sovereignty of Gibraltar can be countenanced without the approval of the people of Gibraltar; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. PymYes. The Lisbon agreement makes it clear that the British Government will fully maintain their commitment to honour the freely and democratically expressed wishes of the people of Gibraltar as set out in the preamble to the Gibraltar Constitution.
§ Mr. McQuarrieasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will take steps to compensate the Gibraltar Government for the £700,000 spent by them in anticipation of the reopening of the border between Gibraltar and Spain; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. PymI shall be discussing with the Governor of Gibraltar when he calls on me today the implications of the postponement of the planned reopening of the frontier.