§ Mr. Dykesasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what response he intends to make in the Council of Ministers to suggestions for making public the legislative part of its deliberations on draft EEC instruments.
§ Dr. OwenAs my right hon. Friend replied to the hon. Member when he asked a similar Question in the European Parliament on 12th January, my right hon. Friend is ready to consider any suggestion that would improve the Council's proceedings. It may not be easy to make a distinction between the Council's legislative and non-legislative functions, and in any case any changes in procedure would have to be agreed to by all the members of the Council of Ministers. However, we are continuing to examine this question sympathetically and will be interested to see the response to the ideas 79W which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy has put to some of his colleagues on the Energy Council.