§ 38. Dr. GodmanTo ask the Lord President of the Council what plans he has to modify the methods of parliamentary scrutiny of European Community legislation and of the Council's minutes of proceedings; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. NewtonThe Government have recently announced that they will expand their explanatory memoranda on EC documents to cover the question of subsidiarity. I have no present plans for any further changes, though I keep the procedures under review.
§ Dr. GodmanIn the interests of greater openness of the deliberations of Council meetings, which the Prime Minister supported at the Birmingham Council, will the Lord President arrange for copies of the minutes of proceedings of Council meetings to be placed in the Library? Will he also impress on his colleagues the fact that the rules of the Council allow for such meetings to be public? In terms of more openness, would it not make good sense to have at least part of Council meetings conducted in public, as article 3 of the Council's rules allows for that decision to be made?
§ Mr. NewtonFrom his involvement in a Standing Committee and his known interest in these matters, the hon. Gentleman will be aware that under the Council's rules of procedure Council minutes are confidential and do not fall within the definition of depositable documents. That is clearly not something which I or any other member of the British Government can change at will. However, the hon. Gentleman will be aware of what was said at Birmingham about greater openness and the fact that that is to be discussed further at Edinburgh. The right course 622 for me is to take delivery of the hon. Gentleman's suggestions as suggestions which clearly should be considered in that context.