§ Mr. CarringtonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment why agreement to Community signature of the Montreal protocol to the Vienna convention for the protection of the ozone layer was given before parliamentary scrutiny procedures were complete; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. RidleyWhen international negotiations were approaching their conclusion the Commission sought the Council's agreement to Community signature of the protocol to the Vienna convention by means of document 8335/87 dated 11 September 1987. The Council's authorisation was given by means of urgent written procedure in time for a conference on plenipotentiaries in Montreal at which the protocol on substances that deplete the ozone layer was adopted on 16 September. The Community (and the United Kingdom) signed the protocol on the same day.
The House was in recess at the time and it was not possible for the normal scrutiny procedures to be carried out. The Government did, however, keep the House informed of developments, at column 319 on 27 November 1986, at column 134 on 24 March 1987, and at column 379 on 23 July 1987, and have since reported on the outcome of the diplomatic conference, at column 277 on 28 October 1987. The Select Committee on European Legislation has recommended that this subject should be further considered by the House when the Commission has tabled proposals for common rules for the Community, as 283W contemplated in the protocol. The text of the protocol will be published shortly as a Command Paper and laid before the House before ratification, in accordance with the usual practice.