§ Lord Stoddart of Swindonasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the statement made by M. Giscard d'Estaing, President of the Convention on the Future of Europe, in an interview with Le Monde on 14 March that, "last year Tony Blair's Government decided to organise a referendum on the euro in spring 2003 which would have created a new situation if it had been successful. Unfortunately, this option was destroyed by the Iraqi crisis", was based on information from Her Majesty's Government, which has not been made available to Parliament. [HL2308]
§ Lord McIntosh of HaringeyThe Government have consistently made clear that an assessment of the five economic tests will be made within two years of the start of this Parliament. If, on the basis of the assessment, the Government take a decision to join EMU it will be put to a vote in Parliament and then to a referendum of the British people.