EU Common Foreign and Security Policy (Hansard, 27 March 1998)

HC Deb 27 March 1998 vol 309 c311W 311W

§ Mr. Menzies Campbell
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 17 March 1998, Official Report, column 555, on EU Common Foreign and Security Policy if he will make it his policy to place in the Library the minutes of the working groups' meetings. [36085]

§ Mr. Doug Henderson
We are committed to ensuring more effective parliamentary scrutiny of, and greater openness in EU business, including Common Foreign and Security Policy. We have made proposals accordingly both in the EU and at a national level.
We do not, however, have discretion unilaterally to disclose documents that reveal the negotiating position of individual Member States or which could damage the conduct of our national relations. We do not therefore propose to place records of Common Foreign and Security Policy working group meetings in the Library.

§ Mr. Menzies Campbell
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 17 March 1998, Official Report, columns 555–57, on EU Common Foreign and Security Policy, when the working groups on(a) armaments policy, (b) conventional arms exports, (c) human rights, (d) the Middle East/Gulf, (e) Middle East Peace Process and (f) nuclear non-proliferation, last met and what subjects were discussed. [36086]

§ Mr. Doug Henderson
The Working Group on Armaments Policy last met on 9 March; the Conventional Arms Exports one on 26 March; the Human Rights one on 2 March; the Middle East/Gulf one on 12 March; the Middle East Peace Process one on 12 March; and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation one on 19 March.
On the matter of what was discussed at the meetings I refer the hon. and learned Member to my answer to his previous question (36085).