§ Ms Janet AndersonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the information provided by his Department to Select Committees of the House in respect of developments on the third pillar of Maastricht. [17211]
§ Mr. Michael ForsythThe following documents with explanatory notes have been made available to the Select Committees on Home Affairs and on European Legislation.
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Documents Explanatory Notes ASIM 104 Council resolution on limitations on admission of third country nationals to the member states for employment. (7139/94) ASIM 90 Guidelines for the harmonized application of the definition of refugee status in article 1A of the Geneva convention. (6675/94) ASIM 115 Council resolution relating to limitations on the admission of third country nationals to the territory of the member states for the purpose of pursuing activities as self-employed persons. (7572/94) ASIM 122 Travel facilities for third-country nationals resident in a member state. (7737/94) ASIM 124 Draft Council resolution on burden sharing with regard to the admission and residence of refugees. (7773/94) ASIM 127 Draft Council resolution on the admission of third-country nationals to the territory of the member states of the European Union for study purposes. (7996/94) ASIM 130 Joint action for a further improvement in security at external borders. (8031/94) ASIM 152 Minimum guarantees for asylum applicants. (8713/94) ASIM 242 Proposal for a joint action on harmonizing means of combating illegal employment and improving the relevant means of control. (12336/94) ASIM 244 Proposal for a joint action on the status of third country nationals residing legally in the Union for a long period. (12338/94) Unnumbered UK proposal for a joint action by the Council of the European Union regarding the protection of the financial interests of the European Communities. Unnumbered European Information System (EIS)—draft convention text. Unnumbered European Police Office (Europol)—draft convention text. Unnumbered Customs Information System (CIS)—draft convention text. CK4 98 Joint action concerning the Europol Drugs Unit. (12321/1/94) JUSTPEN 25 Council Act drawing up the convention on simplified extradition procedure between the member states of the European Union. (5130/95) In addition, a number of documents relating to title VI issues have been made available under normal parliamentary scrutiny procedures with explanatory memoranda:
Documents Explanatory Memoranda (15080) 11287/93 Communication covering: a. Draft decision based on article K3 of the treaty on European Union, establishing a convention on the crossing of the external frontiers of the member states: and b. Draft regulation based on article 100c of the treaty establishing the European Community determining the third countries whose nationals must be in possession of a visa when crossing the external borders of the member states. 5187/94 Commission communication on immigration and asylum policies. 8076/94 Protection of the Community's financial interests. 8077/94 Communication from the Commission on a European Union action plan to combat drugs. The outcome of each Justice and Home Affairs Council is reported to Parliament by means of an answer to a parliamentary question. Since the Council held on 20 June 1994 we have also submitted to the Select Committees a memorandum previewing the likely discussion at each Council, and subsequently a memorandum of evidence on the main conclusions reached. All texts adopted at a Justice and Home Affairs Council are deposited in the Library.
The then Home Secretary gave oral evidence to the Home Affairs Select Committee on 21 April 1993 on intergovernmental co-operation in justice and home affairs. A memorandum of evidence of work carried out under title VI was submitted to the Home Affairs Select Committee on 7 December 1993 in advance of oral evidence by officials on 15 December. On 24 January 1994, my officials provided two further papers on police co-operation and answers to a number of supplementary questions which the Committee did not reach at its oral evidence session.
Most recently I appeared before the Home Affairs Select Committee on 21 January 1995 to give evidence on criminal justice matters, including organised crime and intergovernmental co-operation in the fields of justice and home affairs.