§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Lord President of the Council whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a detailed list for the longest and most convenient period of time the number of meetings held of the Council of Europe, Western European Union, and other such international bodies where British Members of Parliament are appointed as delegates, the number of committee meetings and their venue in each instance, the number of occasions when British delegates have been present and absent, respectively, and the extent to which their absence is borne in mind by him when he comes to give consideration to their reappointment to these organizations.
§ Mr. R. CarrThe following schedule gives details of meetings of the assemblies of the Council of Europe, Western European Union and the North Atlantic Assembly since 1st April, 1971, together with details of committee meetings of these assemblies between the dates of 1st and 31st March, 1972.
Details of committee meetings of these assemblies from 1st April, 1971, to 29th February, 1972, were set out in my predecessor's replies to the hon. Member of 8th and 16th July, 1971, and 20th March, 1972.
A detailed record of occasions when Members have been unable to attend particular meetings is not readily available, not do I think it would be appropriate to obtain and publish such a record.
The Membership of the United Kingdom delegation to these bodies will continue to be on the basis of nomination by the leaders of the main parties.
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NORTH ATLANTIC ASSEMBLY 23rd-27th September, 1971 … … … … … … … Ottawa. WESTERN EUROPEAN UNION 14th-18th June, 1971 … … … … … … … Paris. 29th November-2nd December, 1971 … … … … … … … Brussels.
COUNCIL OF EUROPE Date of Meeting Venue Name of Committee 16th March, 1972 … Paris … … … Regional Planning and Local Authorities. 16th March, 1972 … Paris … … … Economic Affairs and Development. 17th March, 1972 … Paris … … … Culture and Education. 20th-21st March, 1972 … Paris … … … Political Affairs. 21st March, 1972 … Paris … … … Bureau. 21st March, 1972 … Paris … … … Standing Committee. 21st March, 1972 … Paris … … … Leaders or Spokesmen of National Delegations and Chairman of Political Groups. 22nd March, 1972 … Paris … … … Political Affairs—Sub-Committee on Northern Ireland. 22nd March, 1972 … Paris … … … Parliamentary and Public Relations.
WESTERN EUROPEAN UNION 3rd March, 1972 … Bonn … … … Presidential Committee. 5th-11th March, 1972 … U.S.A … … … Defence Questions and Armaments.
NORTH ATLANTIC ASSEMBLY 9th-10th March, 1972 … Washington, U.S.A … … … Standing Committee.