§ Mr. Gryllsasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, further to his reply to the hon. Member for Surrey, North-West on 19 April, Official Report, c. 90, what are the number of ideas for improving the workings of the Economic and Social Committee which have been put forward by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
§ Mr. PymWe have suggested an examination of ways of reducing the number of requests for opinions addressed by the Council to the Economic and Social Committee (ESC) where these are not required under the treaties. We have also suggested that informal contacts between the ESC and other Community institutions should be developed. And we have suggested that the levels of the Committee's staffing and budget should like other Community expenditure, be subject to careful examination by the Council.