§ Mr. Spearingasked the Lord Privy Seal if he will publish in the Official Report his letter to the hon. Member for Newham, South dated 23 August and its Annex containing the Government's observations on the First Special Report from the European Legislation Committee, Session 1983–84 (HC 527).
§ Mr. BiffenYes. Following are the texts:
Dear Mr. Spearing
I have now had the opportunity to study the report which you kindly sent me with your letter of 12 July. Before commenting 799W on the conclusions which your Committee reached, I should like to record my appreciation for the courtesy with which you received me and my officials and for the care with which you studied the evidence submitted, both written and oral. The report will, I am sure, provide those interested in the scrutiny procedures with a clear picture of what is involved.
Your Committee very properly draws attention to a recent failure to observe the procedures—which I very much regret—but the report as a whole reassures me that the arrangements which have evolved over the years are fundamentally sound. Your report draws attention to certain points where some tightening up of the existing arrangements would be appropriate and I am happy to say that the Government can accept all those which are for us to answer. Our detailed response is set out in the note attached to this letter. I am also happy to reiterate the offer I made in the course of evidence: I am always willing to consider at any time any points of anxiety that you or your Committee may have on the scrutiny procedures and would like to take up with me.
I hope you will feel that we have responded in a way which you find positive and helpful. The various changes you have proposed and which we are now implementing should, carefully observed by Departments, substantially reduce the number of occasions on which your Committee needs to feel concern about the scrutiny procedures.
Yours sincerely
(Signed)
John Biffen