§ Mr. Spearingasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs by what means he proposes to obtain the ratification by the Parliament of the United Kingdom of those titles of the "Single European Act", Cmnd. 9758, not named in clause 1 of the European Communities (Amendment) Bill.
§ Mrs. ChalkerThe authority to ratify a treaty is vested in my right hon. and learned Friend as the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs. In accordance with the practice known as the "Ponsonby rule", the Single European Act has been laid before Parliament in the form of a Command Paper (Cmnd. 9758). The House will have a full opportunity to debate the Single European Act as a whole when considering the European Communities (Amendment) Bill.