§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many draft directives have been rejected on the grounds that they violate the principle of subsidiarity set out in the Maastricht treaty.
§ Mr. David DavisEleven proposals for legislation have been withdrawn since 1993 on subsidiarity grounds. A number of others have been amended. It is impossible to quantify the number of proposals which are not coming forward at all because they have been ruled out on subsidiarity grounds—but this is perhaps the most significant consequence of the introduction of the principle of subsidiarity at Maastricht.