46. Mr. R. C. Mitchellasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Common wealth Affairs what consultations he has had with his EEC colleagues concerning the Patijn Report on direct elections to the European Parliament; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. HattersleyThe report by Mr. Patijn was the basis of the European Assembly's draft convention on direct elections. It has not been discussed by the Council of Ministers but, as I told the hon. Member for Mid-Oxon (Mr. Hurd) on 23rd October—[Vol. 898, c. 280.]—the Assembly's draft is being taken into account in the study of direct elections which is now being made in the Council machinery.