HC Deb 09 March 1999 vol 327 c179W
Mr. Maclean

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 25 February 1999,Official Report, columns 438–39, if he will place in the Library copies of the reports of the Common Foreign and Security Policy working groups since 1 May 1997. [75081]

Ms Quin

The Government are committed to ensuring more effective parliamentary scrutiny of, and greater openness in European Union business, including the European Union's Common Foreign and Security Policy. We introduced last year procedures for the parliamentary scrutiny of all Common Foreign and Security Policy Common Positions and Joint Actions, and other politically important documents. The Government do not, however, have discretion to disclose unilaterally documents which reveal the negotiating positions of individual European Union member states. They do not, therefore, propose to place the reports of Working Group discussion in the Library of the House.

Mr. Bruce George

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the answer to the right hon. Member for Penrith and The Border (Mr. Maclean) of 25 February 1999,Official Report, columns 438–39, in what form the outcome of the deliberations of the Common Foreign and Security Policy working groups are made available to Parliament. [74569]

Ms Quin

[holding answer8 March 1999]: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave the right hon. Member for Penrith and the Border (Mr. Maclean) today, Official Report, column 779.