§ Mr. Spearingasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list in the Official Report the EEC draft directives which have been discussed by working parties of officials since 1st January 1973 but which have not been sent forward to (a) the Council of Ministers and (b) the Committee of Permanent Representatives.
§ Mr. EnnalsThe Commission formally submits all proposals for Council directives to the Council in the first instance. It is normal for them then to be studied by the Committee of Permanent Representatives or by another appropriate Committee—such as the Special Committee for Agriculture—which may in turn refer them for discussion to a working party. Drafts may be resubmitted to higher level committees and referred back again to working parties. It would not be possible without disproportionate cost to public funds to produce a list of those drafts which have been referred to working parties but have at no time been reconsidered at a higher level.