§ Mr. StreeterTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when his Department's officials were first notified that the presidency of the European Union had accepted the non-participation of the United Kingdom within the relaxation of border controls set out in the Amsterdam Treaty.[16942]
§ Mr. Doug HendersonThe decision to include an explicit recognition in the Amsterdam Treaty of the UK's right to maintain internal frontier controls was one which had to be taken by all Member States. No such decision was taken until the Amsterdam Summit. It was not a decision which the EU presidency alone could have taken.
§ Mr. StreeterTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to discuss with the Spanish Foreign Minister the voting arrangements for the United Kingdom opt-in to border controls.[16941]
§ Mr. Doug HendersonI have no such plans.