§ 2.50 p.m.
§ First Report from the Select Committee considered.
§ The Committee's Report was as follows:
§ SELECT COMMITTEE ON THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
§ The recommendations of the Select Committee on Procedures for Scrutiny for Proposals for European Instruments were debated in the House on 6th December 1973 on a motion to take note of the Second Report from the Committee. There was widespread approval of the recommendation to set up a Select Committee on the European Communities, for which the following terms of reference were proposed:
§ "That a Select Committee be appointed to consider Community proposals, whether in draft or otherwise, to obtain all necessary information about them, and to make reports on those which, in the opinion of the Committee, raise important questions of policy or principle and on other questions to which the Committee consider that the special attention of the House should be drawn."
§ The Procedure Committee have considered whether these terms of reference, or narrower terms of reference proposed by the Government, are better suited to fulfilling the purpose of the Committee, as expressed in the Debate, and what powers such a Committee should be given. They consider that the terms of reference set out above are suitable to the proper functioning of the Committee and recommend them to the House. They believe that a Committee with these terms of reference should not interpret them too widely and should adopt a selective approach to its work. They also recommend that after a year's experience the European Communities Committee should review the scope of its functions in the context of its terms of reference and report to the House.
§ The Committee believe that, subject to the recommendations of the Committee of Selection, a membership of approximately 15 Lords would be appropriate for the European Communities Committee and that it should be empowered to appoint Sub-Committees. The European Communities Committee should have power to co-opt any Member of the House to serve on such a Sub-Committee. Normal Select Committee procedure should apply, including the provisions of Standing Orders 61–64, but the rule requiring membership of Select Committees to rotate each Session should not operate without the matter having been reconsidered by the House at a later date. Under Standing Order 62 (All Lords may attend and speak, but not vote) it will be possible for the Lords Members of the European Parliament, in particular, to attend the Committee and its Sub-Committees.
§ The European Instruments Committee recommended, in paragraph 129 of their Second Report, that Sub-Committees of the European Communities Committee should have the 713 exceptional power to report direct to the House in cases of urgency. The Procedure Committee do not consider that this recommendation, as it stands, is in keeping with the practice of the House and they recommend instead that in cases of urgency the Chairman of the main Committee should be authorised to present the Report of the Sub-Committee to the House on behalf of the main Committee.
§ The Chairman of the European Communities Committee will have an important and arduous task to which considerable time must be devoted. The Leader of the House has proposed that a salaried Deputy Chairman of Committees, who could, if requested to do so, take the Chair of the European Communities Committee in addition to certain other duties, should be appointed to assist the Chairman of Committees. Subject to the agreement of the Offices Committee to the creation of this new post, the Procedure Committee recommend that this appointment be made.
§ The Procedure Committee welcome the proposal for the appointment of specialist staff, e.g. a legal adviser, to serve the Committee jointly with a similar Committee in the House of Commons, and they understand that the Clerk of the Parliaments will pursue this proposal.
§ THE CHAIRMAN OF COMMITTEES (THE EARL OF LISTOWEL)My Lords, I beg to move that this Report be agreed to.
§ Moved, That the First Report from the Select Committee be agreed to.—(The Earl of Listowel.)
§ On Question, Motion agreed to.