§ Sir Ivan LawrenceTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Civil Protection Council held on 23 May. [35495]
§ Mr. HowardMr. David Bostock, the deputy permanent representative to the European Union, represented the United Kingdom at the Council in Brussels. In accordance with the policy outlined in the Prime Minister's statement on 21 May, he was unable to agree to any decisions requiring unanimity in the Council other than those which were purely formal or procedural.
Three agenda items were blocked and a statement made on the Government's policy of non-co-operation in the European Union. The three matters dealt with at the Council were as follows:
The Council discussed a compromise proposal for a decision establishing a community action programme in the field of civil protection, designed to support and supplement member states' own work in the area of civil protection. The presidency expressed the hope that this question would be further dealt with in the months ahead with a view to reaching agreement.
The Council considered a draft resolution on strengthening Community co-operation in the field of civil protection research. The presidency took note of the Commission's intention to consider the need for research in this area.
The Council also discussed a draft resolution on co-operation with the associated central and eastern European countries and Cyprus and Malta on civil protection, in preparation for their accession.
The Government do not accept that civil protection is an appropriate field for Community action. The Government take the view that in this particular field member states have, and must continue to have, primary responsibility for taking action. The Government will therefore be arguing at the intergovernmental conference that article 3(t) should be removed from the treaty, at least 387W where civil protection is concerned, and any future European Union level co-operation should be pursued on an intergovernmental basis.
At the Civil Protection Council on 23 May, the Government reiterated that position while explaining why we could not agree to the proposed Council resolutions and Council decision on civil protection.
It follows that the Government do not consider that it would be useful for the Commission to being forward proposals for research in this field. The Government do accept that, in preparation for the eventual accession of the associated central and eastern European countries, efforts should be made to forge appropriate links in the field of civil protection. However, it sees no reason why the Community should be invited to take the lead.