asked the Minister for Economic Planning and Development when it is proposed to issue a White Paper on the economy.

It is proposed to publish the White Paper on the economy within the next few weeks.

In relation to Question No. 16 which the Minister has just answered, I would ask what is the reason for the delay between the mid-autumn date, which the explanatory leaflet circulated with the Green Paper promised, and the early January date which the Minister has now substituted for it?

The original period of delay arose from the fact that the various responses and the proposals made after the publication of the Green Paper were not in fact received in time to permit of the preparation of a White Paper by mid-autumn. We were therefore faced with the choice of whether to simply press ahead with the White Paper and ignore the various proposals which were submitted or to hold up publication in order to take account of them. Since the Green Paper was published as a discussion paper naturally my preference is to await the arrival of these various submissions. That accounts for the first period of delay.

The more recent period of delay would obviously be associated with the possibility of creating a European Monetary System, because while it is possible to prepare a draft of a White Paper on what I might call a pre-EMS basis, nonetheless, since there were signs that decisions could have been available by a relatively early date it seemed more appropriate to await the outcome of those discussions.

Could the Minister promise the House that the White Paper will be available before the budget is produced?

That is certainly my firm intention.

Is there no question of waiting to see how the budget travels before changing a few paragraphs of the White Paper?

I have no such intention.

As the Minister has indicated that one of the main reasons for the delay in publishing the White Paper was that submissions were not made in time, could he tell the House the date of the receipt of the last submission?

2 November.

From whom?

The National Economic and Social Council.

They are responsible then for the delay?

They are one of the bodies. There were other submissions received in the closing weeks of October but that is the latest one that I recall.