HC Deb 04 April 1990 vol 170 c678W
Mr. David Young

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many communications he has received from Members of the European Parliament since 18 June 1989 that concern local or United Kingdom matters; and if he will make it his practice, where such matters are involved, to provide the honourable Member for the local constituency with a copy of the correspondence and the reply for information.

Mr. Archie Hamilton

Some 15 letters covering a variety of topics have been received from members of the European Parliament in the period in question.

Where Members of the European Parliament raise matters in correspondence which are exclusively of local interest, the practice is to reply suggesting that the MEP should refer the matter to the hon. Member for the constituency concerned. As with other correspondence, replies to such communications would normally be copied to the hon. Member concerned only if the MEPs had themselves copied their letter in this way.