HL Deb 02 May 1977 vol 382 cc807-8
Baroness LLEWELYN-DAVIES of HASTOE

My Lords, with the leave of the House, at a convenient moment after 3.30 p.m., my noble friend Lord Melchett will repeat a Statement on the threatened strike in Northern Ireland.

May I also take this opportunity to say that a Statement was made in another place on Friday about business to be taken in the EEC Council of Ministers during May. I shall, as usual, arrange for the Statement to be made available in the Official Report.

Following is the Statement referred to:

EEC COUNCIL OF MINISTERS: MAY BUSINESS

"With your permission, Mr. Speaker, I will make a Statement about business to be taken in the Council of Ministers of the European Community during May. The monthly forecast for May was deposited on the 22nd of April.

"At present three meetings of the Council of Ministers are proposed for May. Foreign Ministers will meet on the 3rd and possibly 31st although this is unlikely because it clashes with the Ministerial Meeting of the Conference on International Economic Co-operation in Paris and Agriculture Ministers on the 16th and 17th of May. There will also be a meeting of the Standing Committee on Employment on the 5th of May.

"At the Foreign Affairs Council on the 3rd of May, Ministers will discuss relations with Cyprus, Malta and with the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance; renewal of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade Multi-Fibre Arrangements; participation by the Community in the International Sugar Agreement; fisheries matters; and the Community's position for the Ministerial Meeting of the Conference on International Economic Co-operation from the 30th of May to the 1st of June.

"The Agenda for the meeting of Agriculture Ministers on the 16th and 17th of May has yet to be decided, but it is expected to include consideration of revisions of the Common Fisheries Policy.

"The Standing Committee on Employment will consider a paper on employment prospects to 1980, the review of the European Social Fund and a Commission Communication on the co-ordination of the Community's Financial Instruments".