§ Mr. HealdTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the situation concerning negotiations on the draft European Convention on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters. [111488]
§ Mr. Charles ClarkeThe European Union Mutual Legal Assistance Convention has been under negotiation since 1996, and is intended to enhance existing arrangements for co-operation between member states' judicial and prosecuting authorities for the purposes of criminal investigations and proceedings. The negotiations have been complicated, and, throughout, the Scrutiny Committees of both Houses have been kept fully informed of progress. Although a number of specific provisions have cleared scrutiny, the Convention itself remains subject to Parliamentary scrutiny.
Work has continued to agree outstanding matters, and I understand that the opinion of the European Parliament on the draft text has now been issued, and is to be considered.
At the meeting of Council on 2–3 December 1999, Ministers agreed that at the Council meeting on 27 March 2000, an attempt should be made to complete work on the Convention. My officials will remain in contact with the scrutiny committees.