HC Deb 18 December 1985 vol 89 cc201-2W
49. Mr. Lofthouse

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what amendments have been agreed to the treaty of Rome to extend the scope of majority voting.

60. Mr. Teddy Taylor

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement explaining the nature of the changes in the scope for majority voting in the Community which have been referred to the intergovernmental conference by the Council in Luxembourg on 2 and 3 December; and if he will make a statement.

Sir Geoffrey Howe

Majority voting is already possible under some 40 articles of the treaty. The changes agreed, subject to reserves by Italy and Denmark, would extend majority voting to:

  1. (a) Some of the internal market issues for which Article 100 currently requires unanimity (subject to specific exceptions for taxation, free movement of persons and measures affecting the rights and interests of employees, as well as a number of additional safeguards, set out in the text, which cover human, animal and plant health);
  2. (b) Other Articles related to the internal market (28, 57(2), 59(2), 70(1) and 84);
  3. (c) Specific programmes in the field of technology;
  4. (d) Fields of environment policy which the Council unanimously decides are to be covered by qualified majority.

69. Mr. Fisher

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on developments on the proposals agreed to at the intergovernmental conference in Luxembourg.

Sir Geoffrey Howe

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the statement I made earlier today.

81. Mr. Geraint Howells

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's policy on the abolition of the right of a member state to veto proposals put to the European Community's Council of Ministers.

Mr. Rifkind

Our policy towards the right of veto continues to be based, as it always has been, on the Luxembourg compromise, under which, where majority voting rules apply, a member state which considers that a very important interest is at stake may ask that discussion continue until unanimous agreement is reached.

104. Mr. Maxton

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in what way he proposes to bring before Parliament the amendments to the treaty of Rome agreed at the European Economic Community Luxembourg summit.

Sir Geoffrey Howe

The Government will introduce a Bill as soon as reserves are lifted and the texts are available in treaty form.

64. Mr. Forth

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what effect he anticipates the role recommended for the European Parliament by the Luxembourg European Council will have on the speed and quality of European Economic Community policy-making.

Sir Geoffrey Howe

The time limits for consulting the European Parliament laid down under the new co-operation procedure should enable the European Parliament to play a serious and constructive role in Community decision-taking without slowing it down.

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