§ 3.1. p.m.
§ Baroness Burton of CoventryMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper.
The Question was as follows:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether all member states of the European Community have now ratified the Single European Act and if so whether adoption by the Council of Transport Ministers of the Aviation Competition Regulation under Article 87 of the Treaty of Rome will no longer be subject to a unanimous decision but decided by a qualified majority.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Transport (Lord Brabazon of Tara)No, my Lords. Because of court action in the Republic of Ireland, the Irish Government are still not able to ratify the Single European Act. I should not wish to comment specifically on the court action but I hope that the Act will be effective before the end of the Belgian Presidency. That means that qualified majority voting on aviation liberalisation proposals (which are made under Article 84) may well be available at the 24th-25th June Transport Council. However, Article 87 proposals are competition measures and have always been subject to qualified majority voting.
§ Baroness Burton of CoventryMy Lords, I am not happy about the Commission and qualified majority voting. Is it not correct that matters can only be decided in that way if the Commission approve or are content with what the qualified majority on the Council wish to put forward? As the matter is rather complex and as the Minister seems to want to help, will he feel able to publish in the Official Report a copy of the letter that he sent to me on 25th February? I think that would be helpful to the House and would save a lot of time.
§ Lord Brabazon of TaraYes, certainly, my Lords. I think that would be helpful because this is a complicated issue. If the noble Baroness would like to put down for Written Answer a Question to that effect, I shall be delighted to publish the letter I wrote to her on 25th February.
§ Baroness Burton of CoventryMy Lords, perhaps I may ask just one further question. Are the Government really content and do they believe that the Commission will stand firm on the liberalisation of air transport as we understand it?
§ Lord Brabazon of TaraMy Lords, at the informal meeting of Transport Ministers on 17th February the Commission made it clear that they would not be a party to a sell-out. They confirmed that they would withdraw the proposal for exemptions from the competition rules if the Council looked likely to vote in favour of a first step which failed to amount to real progress. The Government look to the Commission to ensure that European consumers are not let down at this late stage in the negotiations.
§ Baroness Burton of CoventryMy Lords, I am very grateful to the Minister for what he has said.
§ Lord KilbrackenMy Lords, can the Minister say whether the delay in Ireland has been due not to the wishes of the Government, both in the past and at present, but arises from the private action taken by an individual; namely, Mr. Crotty?
§ Lord Brabazon of TaraYes, my Lords; that is correct. I understand that the Government are ready and willing to ratify the Act as soon as possible.