HC Deb 01 May 1974 vol 872 cc1140-2
24. Mr. Spriggs

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will seek to ascertain and publish the names of the original Members of the United Kingdom Parliament who are still members of the European Parliament.

Mr. Hattersley

All of those originally designated by this House in the resolution of 19th December 1972 remain members of the European Assembly. Their names appeared in the OFFICIAL REPORT.—[Vol. 848, c. 1253.]

Mr. Spriggs

Will my hon. Friend, in any information he publishes in this connection, show which of the parliamentary parties these representatives represent, whether Conservative or Labour? Further in view of the Labour Party's policy on renegotiating terms of entry, what co-operation are our permanent delegates receiving from the Government on the lines of renegotiation?

Mr. Hattersley

In reply to the first part of my hon. Friend's question, I believe—of course, I am open to correction—that there are conventions of this House which prevent party labels from being put against the names of right hon. and hon. Members when they appear in the OFFICIAL REPORT. but it is well known which parties take their places in the Assembly and which do not.

The second half of my hon. Friend's question can be answered simply. The Government are providing for all delegates to the Assembly the same sort of written information that we provide for any right hon. and hon. Members of this House when they take part in any other activity concerned with foreign affairs, and that will continue to be our practice.

Mr. Hill

In view of the very critical renegotiations which are going on, does not the hon. Gentleman consider that it is absolutely essential to send delegations to the European Parliament so that the hon. Gentleman may be fed back with information about the detailed work of the committees?

Mr. Hattersley

No. Sir, I do not agree with that. I believe that were the Government now to change their established position, it would put a very substantial question mark against the seriousness of our intention to renegotiate. I say that notwithstanding the fact that on two occasions in this House I voted for the Labour Party to be represented at Strasbourg, but I do not think that that would now be in the best interests of our renegotiation strategy.

Mr. Skinner

Will my hon. Friend agree that it is a scandalous state of affairs that there are ex-Tory Members of Parliament supposedly representing Britain in the European Assembly who are making money out of the British tax-payer, fiddling their accounts by going there on charter flights? Now, to make the matter even worse, we have the further information that members of the European Assembly are trotting around with three or four different coloured Biro pens in their pockets, signing and forging signatures of people who were supposed to be attending the Assembly and drawing money in their name.

Mr. Hattersley

The final part of my hon. Friend's question contains very serious implications and allegations, and I certainly have no intention of commenting on them. As to the tone and nature of the question, I hope that he does not become infected with the disease of finding scandal where there is none.

Mr. Marten

May I ask the hon. Gentleman to define exactly whom these delegates to the European Assembly represent? It may be within his recollection that a very short time ago this House declared that it opposed certain proposals for a European driving licence. It is only recently that this matter was debated in the European Assembly, and our delegates did not even oppose the amended proposition.

Mr. Hattersley

I think that all those who have taken different views from those of their own parties about individual matters, as the hon. Gentleman and I have both done in our time, know that there is always some ambiguity about these matters, and individual delegates have to decide whether they are representing their own judgment or some party alignment.