§ 2.58 p.m.
§ Lord SHINWELLMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
The Question was as follows:
To ask the Leader of the House whether members of the European Assembly selected by this House are expected to make reports on their activities and whether any reports have been made so far.
§ The LORD PRIVY SEAL (Lord Shepherd)My Lords, there is no formal provision for any such reports. The House is grateful for the way in which noble Lords who are members of the European Parliament have kept us informed about EEC policies by participation in debate and through their links with the Select Committee of your Lordships' House on the European Communities.
§ Lord SHINWELLMy Lords, may I ask my noble friend whether the noble Lords who attend the European Assembly represent your Lordships' House or the respective political Parties associated with this House, and is there any truth in the statement that has been made that the noble Lords who attend the Assembly have reported to their respective political Parties but not to this House, and if so, can he explain why?
§ Lord SHEPHERDMy Lords, first, those noble Lords who attend the European Parliament do not represent this House, in the same way as Members of another place do not represent the House of Commons. We fulfil our obligations under Article 138(1) that the European Assembly should consist of delegates who have been designated by the respective Parliaments from among their Members, in accordance with the procedures laid down by the Member-States. Our procedures are based very much on the system of representation at WEU where the political Parties themselves have made their own nominations, and it is for the two Houses to ratify them in order that Members can go to the European Parliament, and are seen to be a Member of that particular House or Parliament.
§ Lord GLADWYNMy Lords, I report to my own political Party exactly what I have been doing in the European Parliament, and I imagine that the representatives of the Socialist Party and the Conservative Party do exactly the same. I do not quite know what is the effect of the question of the noble Lord, Lord Shinwell.
§ Lord SHEPHERDMy Lords, the noble Lord is not required to report to his own Party, as I understand it. This is something that his own Party may require of him, but it is not imposed by this House. I think that is all I can say on the matter.
§ The Earl of LAUDERDALEMy Lords, would the noble Lord the Leader of the House explain to the House how it is that when our delegates to the European Parliament are appointed by this House, as they are by Resolution, they do not at the same time, and arising out of that, represent the House?
§ Lord SHEPHERDMy Lords, they do not represent the House, and I do not believe it has ever been expected that they did. They go as members of their political Parties; they sit with those people sharing a view with them in the European Parliament, and there must be occasions in the European Parliament when representatives from this House may take a completely different view from others coming from within this House.
§ Baroness ELLESMy Lords, would the noble Lord the Leader of the House agree that the members of the European Parliament play a very full role in this House whenever there is a possibility for them to take part in debate? Similarly in the Select Committee, so ably presided over by my noble friend Lady Tweedsmuir of Belhelvie, members of the European Parliament invariably go and give evidence on matters of concern to this House, the other place, and the European Parliament.
§ Lord SHEPHERDMy Lords, that is so, and I fully acknowledge it. I only regret that the way in which we so arrange our business means that occasionally members cannot participate in the Business because they are required to be at the European Parliament. This is something we ought seriously to look at. It 546 may be that if we were to set aside certain days during a month for matters dealing with the European Parliament, we might overcome some of these difficulties. This is something which could well be considered by the Committee which I hope will shortly be set up.
§ Lord SHINWELLMy Lords, are we to understand from that reply that the selection of those noble Peers who attended the Assembly was not endorsed by your Lordships' House? Are we to understand that therefore we have no control whatever over them? Are we to understand from that that they are there for as long as they like, and we have no means of withdrawing them at any time?
§ Lord SHEPHERDMy Lords, so far as the Labour membership is concerned, the names were approved by your Lordships' House, but were also approved by the Parliamentary Party at one of their formal meetings. I feel this is a matter we could more usefully debate when we discuss the question of direct elections to the European Parliament, because we may need to take account of an interim period prior to direct elections taking place.
Lord CHELWOODMy Lords, in spite of the fact that the dual mandate imposes a heavy strain indeed, even on Members of this House, is it not possible that a sprightly young fellow like the noble Lord, Lord Shinwell, could quite easily carry this out, and could be relied upon to make regular reports to us?
§ Lord SHEPHERDMy Lords, I shall leave that to my noble friend. May I draw the attention of the House to the fact that 25 minutes for Questions is even worse than the complaint made last Thursday? May I suggest we move on to next Business?
§ The Earl of LAUDERDALEMy Lords, I think the noble Lord is trying to dodge the question which I have tried to put three times. Can he explain why, if these delegates represent their parties, they need to be appointed by this House? Perhaps he will answer that point on Monday.
§ Lord SHEPHERDMy Lords, I would be most happy to do so.