European Community (Hansard, 13 January 1993)

§ 11. Mr. David Shaw
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on current developments in the European Community.

§ The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Mr. Garel-Jones)
I refer my hon. Friend to the pamphlet entitled UK Presidency of the European Communities: July-December 1992 published by Her Majesty's Government on 11 January, which summarises developments in the European Community under the United Kingdom presidency. I refer my hon. Friend also to the statement made to the House by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister after the Edinburgh European Council.

§ Mr. Shaw
My right hon. Friend will be aware that, with the introduction of the single European market, the European Community has agreed that 24 mecu should be made available to assist customs clearance brokers and freight forwarders—many of whom work and live in my constituency. Will my right hon. Friend confirm that every effort is being made by the British Government to ensure that the money is made available to businesses in Great Britain for their use and that the form filling—about which many businesses are concerned—is made easier? Will he also ensure that the money is adequately distributed?

§ Mr. Garel-Jones
My hon. Friend is characteristically assiduous in the defence of his constituents' interests. He asks about the regulation which will enable the Community to assist in areas hardest hit by the regulation. My right hon. Friend the Minister for Industry is co-ordinating that effort. I know that my hon. Friend is in contact with him and is working closely with the east Kent initiative which has been invited to draw up proposals on how to spend that money in Kent for the benefit of my hon. Friend's constituents and the companies that are affected in his constituency.

§ Mr. Charles Kennedy
Since the conclusion of the British presidency, has the Minister or the Foreign Secretary come across any other Foreign Ministers or Government leaders of the other member states who agree with the description given by the Prime Minister when he reported on the Edinburgh summit of the distinction between subsidiarity as it is understood at Community level and devolution as it is understood in the United Kingdom? I cite in particular last year's speech by Chancellor Kohl whose clear view was that subsidiarity meant proper delegation of power, not just to national Parliaments but within the United Kingdom to Scotland, Wales and the regions of England.

§ Mr. Garel-Jones
If I may say so, it is the hon. Gentleman's interpretation of subsidiarity which strikes me and many others in Europe as bizarre. Subsidiarity means distinguishing those areas which are the responsibility of nation states from areas that may be the Commission's responsibility. Once that distinction has been made, subsidiarity means that each member state should decide how those competences should be distributed within it.

§ Sir Peter Emery
Can my right hon. Friend assure us that in future actions and developments, major 912 consideration will be given to finding a solution to the problems of a GATT treaty? Has any thought been given to persuading the new American President to arrange for the fast track to be made available for settling a GATT treaty? The negotiations could fail if we do not do something fairly quickly.

§ Mr. Garel-Jones
I can certainly give my right hon. Friend the assurance that he seeks. As he knows, the British presidency attaches the highest importance to finding a solution to the GATT problems. In spite of the difficulties that have been heralded recently, we hope that by the end of this month agreement can be reached which will enable us to take advantage of the fast track.

§ Mr. Home Robertson
Returning to subsidiarity, may I ask whether the Minister has grasped the fact that Britain is not a nation but a union of nations? Does he accept that the most significant happening at the Edinburgh summit was a demonstration by 25,000 Scots on the streets of Edinburgh demanding democracy for Scotland within Britain and within the European Community? When will the Government address the case for democratic accountability for the government of Scotland according to the principle of subsidiarity in Europe?

§ Mr. Garel-Jones
The Birmingham declaration made perfectly clear the interpretation of subsidiarity and it was agreed by all member states. I am sure that the House agrees that decisions made in the United Kingdom about local government, devolution and other matters should be made by this House and our sovereign Parliament and not by Brussels or anywhere else.