§ Lord Thomas of Swynnertonasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether, even if the formal name of the state should remain "the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland", they will henceforth introduce a uniform usage of "Britain" in official publications and declarations where at present "United Kingdom", "Great Britain" or (in translation) "England" are variously used.
§ The Lord President of the Council (Viscount Whitelaw)The terms "United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland" (or "United Kingdom" for short), "Great Britain" and "England" all have precise and distinct meanings which are not interchangeable and which are generally well understood. In official publications produced for 139WA overseas readerships the term "Britain" is often used to encompass the whole of the United Kingdom, but Her Majesty's Government do not believe that it would be conducive to greater clarity to replace the term "United Kingdom" with the term "Britain" in all circumstances. They accordingly have no plans to introduce "Britain" as a standard term to describe the whole state.