§ 36. Mr. Denis MacShane (Rotherham)If she will facilitate contacts between hon. Members and Members of the Parliaments of other EU nation states. [41333]
§ The President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons (Mrs. Ann Taylor)There are already opportunities for contacts between hon. Members of this House and those in other European countries. 597 I would be content to consider any positive proposal that my hon. Friend may have on how we could constructively extend those opportunities.
§ Mr. MacShaneI am grateful for that encouraging answer, especially now that we have drained much of the anti-European poison of the past few years. However, it is essential, is it not, that national parliaments play a role in the construction of Europe? Whereas hon. Members may visit any European institution once a year on the vote—paid for by the House—they cannot visit any national parliament in Europe. As only about 10 per cent. of that facility is taken up, there is a fair bit of dosh in my right hon. Friend's coffers that could be used to encourage, not political tourism, but proper contact between all hon. Members and their opposite numbers in other national parliaments, to build a stronger Britain in a coherent Europe.
§ Mrs. TaylorI must disabuse my hon. Friend of one point: there is no dosh in my coffers because of hon. Members not travelling in the way that he suggested. It is possible for hon. Members to travel to European institutions. Visits by Committees and by individual Members on specific duties are also possible. Many hon. Members do not use existing facilities to travel to Brussels or to Strasbourg to familiarise themselves with European Union events, and I think that more hon. Members could benefit from undertaking such journeys and participating in such meetings. Although visiting other national parliaments is an interesting suggestion, we would have to consider the purpose of such visits, to ensure that they were not open to abuse.
§ Mr. Michael Fabricant (Lichfield)Is not that question a reflection of the fact that this Parliament continues to be sidelined by the Government? Is it not the fact that, since the general election, the Prime Minister has turned up for only seven votes? Is not most administration of the United Kingdom now performed in Whitehall and not in Parliament? Is it not the fact that the hon. Member for Rotherham (Mr. MacShane) would rather spend his time in other parliaments because he knows how worthless this place has become since the general election?
§ Mrs. TaylorNo.
§ Madam SpeakerMr. Austin Mitchell. [HON. MEMBERS: "Where is he?"] Mrs. Teresa Gorman. 598 [HON. MEMBERS: "Where is she?"] Mr. Ian Bruce. [HON. MEMBERS: "Where is he?"] This is a disgrace. I hope that it will be noted and that I shall have letters of apology from all of them. We shall return to defence questions.