European Elections (Hansard, 9 July 1981)

Lord Chelwood
My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord Belstead)
My Lords, the Treaties of the European Communities charge the European Parliament with making proposals for a uniform procedure for its own elections, and the Government understand that the European Parliament aims to put forward such proposals before long, including one concerning the extent of the franchise. The Government believe that it is right to wait for these proposals before deciding what action should be taken on this matter.

Lord Chelwood
My Lords, is my noble friend aware that many of us are still mystified as to the connection between the system of elections that may be recommended by the European Parliament and whether or not some 200,000 British subjects, living in other EEC countries but with a right of abode in this country, vote in the next election? Were they not disfranchised last time and would it not be disgraceful and really quite intolerable to do this again? Why cannot we get on with it, as eight countries out of the 10 have already done?

§ Lord Belstead
My Lords, the connection is that under Article 138 of the treaty the European Parliament is charged with drawing up proposals for elections in accordance with a uniform procedure in all member states, and this has been interpreted, we know, by the Political Affairs Group of the European Parliament as relating to the extent of the franchise. However, I entirely agree with my noble friend that this is a most important matter and something on which the Government should keep an eye so far as both the principle and the timing are concerned. May I add that so far as the extent of the franchise for Westminster Parliament elections is concerned, this matter has been thoroughly examined in the context of the Government's recent review of electoral law and procedures. My right honourable friend the Home Secretary hopes to make an announcement about that examination to Parliament shortly. A system which enables people abroad 818 to vote in general elections for Westminster could, of course, be applied, with such modifications as are necessary, to European Parliament elections.

§ Lord Stewart of Fulham
My Lords, do not the Government believe that the uniform system, whatever form it takes, will involve the principle that every citizen of every Community country will have a vote? Ought we not, therefore, to set an example by making sure that in the next European election, however it is held, every British citizen will have a vote? Is it not also true that people in this situation probably have a greater right to vote in a European election than for the Westminster Parliament, since they live in Europe even if they do not live in the United Kingdom?

§ Lord Belstead
My Lords, I entirely agree with the noble Lord, Lord Stewart, but unfortunately the previous Government, representing the party of which the noble Lord is a distinguished member, thought otherwise. When, in 1978, my honourable friend Mr. Douglas Hurd moved an amendment which would have gone at any rate a long way towards the objective which the noble Lord is putting to me, it was defeated by the previous Government. When the present Government came into office we found that we were stuck, if I may put it that way, with a serious review, which is being carried out by the European Parliament, and it does now seem that we must await the outcome of that review.

§ Lord Underhill
My Lords, does not the question refer to all citizens living abroad, and is it not open to some question whether it would be democratic that persons who choose to live abroad for most of their lives, particularly those who may be tax exiles, should vote in elections in this country? If there are to be any announcements by the noble Lord's right honourable friend, can we have some assurance that these important changes will be the subject of a Speaker's Conference?

§ Lord Belstead
My Lords, I agree with the noble Lord that there are questions of both principle and practice which will have to be considered very carefully by Parliament in regard to these matters. So far as a Speaker's Conference is concerned, I think that is a matter for another place.

Lord Chelwood
My Lords, is not my noble friend trying to have it both ways? He criticised the last Labour Government for opposing the amendment moved by Mr. Douglas Hurd on behalf of the Opposition in 1978, which was defeated by only 11 votes. If it was right to move that amendment then, what is wrong with taking the necessary action now? We are the same party, are we not?

§ Lord Belstead
My Lords, I think the other countries to which my noble friend has drawn attention may very well find that the arrangements which they have set up, ahead of the review of the European Parliament, will have to be changed when the European Parliament brings out its report, which of course will require a uniform system. That is why we think it best to wait. I had hoped that my noble friend might consider the 819 end of the reply which I gave regarding the important review which my right honourable friend has been undertaking into Westminster procedures, which has included the matter of the extension of the franchise, as being an indication that the Government are taking this matter seriously and putting themselves into a position to be able to speak constructively on this subject in a reasonably short time.

§ Lord Molloy
My Lords, is the noble Lord aware that, having examined this situation, many of us are of the opinion that it has been a bureaucratic decision taken in Brussels, or somewhere on the Continent, which blatently descriminates against British citizens? It is pointless simply to keep an eye on discrimination. What the noble Lord should be assuring the House is that he intends to eliminate it on behalf of the British people.

§ Lord Belstead
My Lords, when the noble Lord's party was in Government it did not even keep an eye on it.

Lord Bruce of Donington
My Lords, can the noble Lord give the House any indication of the time when the European Parliament's report is expected? Will he give the House information as to whether the inquiry will go into the method of election? As the noble Lord is well aware, this country is about the only country that applies direct elections in any meaningful constituency sense.

§ Lord Belstead
My Lords, as regards the position of the report in Europe, I understand that the draft report on a uniform procedure for European elections is now before the Political Affairs Group of the European Parliament. That situation has been the case for longer than many people would wish; in fact, it has been the case since 1979. The report will then have to go to the Parliament and then to the Council of Ministers. On the second point which the noble Lord put to me, yes, of course; I think that the understanding of all of us is that this report will deal with the method of election.