§ 119. Mr. T. Reidasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will give an assurance that His Majesty's Government will sign no agreement conferring any legislative or executive power on the Council of Europe without obtaining the prior consent of this House.
§ Mr. Ernest DaviesThe conferment of legislative or executive power on the Council of Europe would require an amendment of the Statute of that body, which could be effected only by an agreement between Member Governments. To give effect to any such agreement in the United Kingdom would certainly require parliamentary legislation, and the consent of this House would therefore be needed before His Majesty's Government could enter into an engagement to confer on the Council of Europe the powers referred to by my hon. Friend.