HL Deb 07 December 2004 vol 667 cc729-32

2.44 p.m.

Lord Pearson of Rannoch asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they believe that the recently appointed European Commission is suitably composed to act as the initiator and executive of European Union legislation.

Baroness Crawley

My Lords, yes. The Government have every confidence in President Barroso's Commission. We can only applaud the new Commission's focus on delivery, reform and better regulation. We look forward to working with it to face some of the great common challenges—Africa, climate change and European economic reform—during our presidency next year of both the G8 and the EU.

Lord Pearson of Rannoch

My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Baroness for that admirably succinct reply. But is she aware that the new Commission contains six former communists, an agriculture Commissioner who benefits from the CAP, an antifraud Commissioner who has been tried for fraud, Monsieur Barrot who was found guilty of fraud but who was pardoned by President Chirac, for fairly obvious reasons, not to mention that fine example of British political probity, Mr Peter Mandelson?

Does the noble Baroness further agree that the Latvian candidate did not make it on to the Commission because she favours member states retaining their tax systems and that Signor Buttiglione was excluded because he is a good Catholic and a thoroughly decent man?

In those circumstances, can the noble Baroness tell the House why Her Majesty's Government are happy to see most of our new laws largely controlled by such people, as they now are?

Baroness Crawley

My Lords, the noble Lord is well known for his less than high regard of the European Union and its works. I was waiting for the corrupt octopus of Europe to make an entry. I would then have been able to say that it is not so much the corrupt octopus of Europe, but the tired tentacles of European scepticism which strangle coherent debate.

Lord Richard

My Lords, is my noble friend aware, although I do not see how she could be, that when I hear the noble Lord, Lord Pearson of Rannoch, talking about the European Union, I am reminded of a story about Lyndon Johnson when he was running for the presidency in 1964? In everyone's view it was an election that he was bound to win. But he was campaigning very hard and someone said to him, "You know, the trouble with you Lyndon is not only do you want everybody to vote for you but you won't be satisfied until they all write 'We love you Lyndon' on the ballot paper".

The noble Lord, Lord Pearson of Rannoch, would not be satisfied with the composition of the Commission unless they were all card-carrying members of UKIP, or the alternative continental version thereof, in which the only item on the agenda was the dissolution of the Union. Even then he would want regular checks to make sure that there was no backsliding.

Lord Willoughby de Broke

My Lords, that is all very amusing, but could we please address—

Noble Lords

The Minister.

Baroness Crawley

My Lords, I am afraid that the record of the noble Lord, Lord Pearson of Rannoch, shows that that could well be what he would like to see in the Commission.

Lord Willoughby de Broke

My Lords, I apologise for my ardour in intervening.

Lord Howell of Guildford

My Lords, does the Minister recall the advice of the late Professor Walter Hallstein who was, I think, the first president of the Commission? He warned very strongly that the Commissioners should not only be upright and dedicated people but that they should also concentrate on the reform and modernisation of Europe as a whole and not get bogged down in national interests too much. In particular, they should stay out of national politics and not meddle with party politics. Is that not good advice? Would the Government please repeat that advice to the incoming Commission?

Baroness Crawley

My Lords, that is extremely good advice. The noble Lord, Lord Howell, is absolutely right. The principle of subsidiarity is to the fore and very much supported by this Government. We want to see the Commission doing the job that it is intended to do, not the job of national governments or the job of local governments.

We very much agree with the noble Lord that the Commission should now focus on where it can really add value. This Commission has been in place only since 22 November, but we are extremely pleased to see that the early signs are that it is focusing on where it can add value enforcing and developing the single market, regaining the confidence of business and opening up the EU's labour market.

Lord Wallace of Saltaire

My Lords, does the Minister agree that the noble Lord, Lord Rannoch, has failed rather in his research into the defects of members of the Commission. He failed to note that one of them is a former student of mine, which I am sure he would think is worse. Does she also recognise that the Question implies that the European Commission is the sole initiator and executive of European Union legislation? For example, the communiqué for the November European Council makes it clear that the heads of government have just set out a new five-year programme for justice and home affairs and that much of the execution and implementation of EU legislation is done by national governments.

Baroness Crawley

My Lords, I could not agree more with the noble Lord, and I am pleased that one of his former students is a member of the Commission.

Baroness Royall of Blaisdon

My Lords, does my noble friend agree that while the European Commission is quite properly the executive body of the European Union, national parliaments have an important role to play? Does she further agree that the constitutional treaty for Europe is therefore welcome for the enhanced role that it gives to national parliaments?

Baroness Crawley

My Lords, absolutely. The constitutional treaty to which my noble friend referred strengthens the role of national parliaments by giving them an active voice in the whole area of subsidiarity.

Lord Willoughby de Broke

My Lords, will the noble Baroness confirm to both the House and the country that she is happy for the British taxpayer to pay £35 million a day to a complacent and corrupt organisation that has failed to have its accounts passed by the European Court of Auditors for 10 years in succession?

Baroness Crawley

My Lords, financially we get a good deal from our membership of the European Union, not only in the form of our rebate, which is very secure, but also in the amount of money that goes to poorer areas both within our own country and throughout the European Union.

Lord Elton

My Lords—

Lord Grocott

My Lords, we are in the sixteenth minute.