HC Deb 15 January 1997 vol 288 cc310-1
6. Mr. Spearing

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many members of the current secretariat of the Council of Ministers and associated staff, engaged in political co-operation within the European Union, were in post in December; and what estimates he has made of the staff consequences arising from adopting recent proposals in respect of extending activity relating to political co-operation. [9238]

The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Mr. David Davis)

Two thousand, five hundred and twenty-nine staff were employed to the Council secretariat in 1996. The task of the secretariat is to help the presidency in administering and co-ordinating the work of the Council of Ministers in all its functions. The secretariat has informed us that 29 of these people work directly on common foreign and security policy. It is not yet possible to assess changes to the secretariat after the IGC is concluded.

Mr. Spearing

Is the Minister aware that the proposals from the Irish presidency for consideration at the revision of the treaty at Amsterdam include specific proposals for enhancing the profile of the Secretary-General in re foreign and security policy matters, increasing planning staff and giving the presidency powers of diplomatic representation, supported principally by the secretariat and the Commission, which would thereby and of their own account have increased diplomatic powers in third countries? Would that not be the end of co-operation and the development of a pan-European Foreign Office in its own right?

Mr. Davis

The hon. Gentleman has a point in terms of the intentions of some of our European Union colleagues. Perhaps it would be worth while if I explained briefly what our intentions were and what we have proposed, because there is great support within the Union for the British proposal.

The main thrust of the hon. Gentleman's first question concerned the secretariat. Our proposal is to reinforce the planning cell, so that when there are differences of view between different parts of the Union it is because of a difference of interest—making it reasonable to exercise the veto and withhold consensus—rather than of analysis. Our proposal would add about five or six people to the current foreign service planning personnel.

On representation, we have made it very clear that so-called Monsieur or Madame Pesc should be entirely subordinate to the Council and therefore remain within the control of the nation states; as such, it will not undermine co-operation.

Mr. Batiste

Does my hon. Friend agree that an important aspect of political co-operation is that agreements once made should be rapidly implemented? Can he therefore tell us what steps the Government have taken to ratify the Europe-Israel trade agreement and what progress is being made among our partner countries to take the same action?

Mr. Davis

The trading provisions came into effect on 1 January last year, and are currently being taken forward.