§ Mr. Spearingasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he now has concerning the establishment of courts of first instance under the Single European Act and in particular the locations of any such courts sitting in the United Kingdom.
§ Mrs. ChalkerIt will, in accordance with the Single European Act, be for the European Court of Justice to make detailed proposals to the Council about the work of 853W the Court of First Instance. No proposals have yet been received. The Court of First Instance will not sit in the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. Spearingasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when and by what means Her Majesty's Government published and distributed the text of the decisions taken by representatives of member states of the European Services Community on the occasions of the signing of the Single European Act.
§ Mrs. ChalkerThe Decision adopted by Ministers, meeting in the framework of European Political Cooperation, on the occasion of the signing of the Single European Act was placed in the Libraries of both Houses on 25 April 1986. It was published in the minutes of evidence that I gave to the Foreign Affairs Committee on 7 May 1986.
§ Mr. Spearingasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the proceedings of the new Courts of first instance of the European Communities, as authorised by the single European Act, will be open to the public.
§ Mrs. ChalkerArticle 28 of the protocol on the statute of the Court of Justice provides that hearings before the court shall normally be in public. I would expect oral proceedings, of the new Court to be similarly open to the public.