§ Mr. Spearingasked the Lord Privy Seal if he will set out in the Official Report the dates and occasions since May 1979 when a Minister of the Crown has assented to EEC legislation, prior to a recommended debate in the House, together with details of the legislation concerned and the dates of the subsequent statement explaining their actions.
§ Sir Ian GilmourThere have been seven occasions when assent has been given to European Community legislation prior to a recommended debate in the House. The details are as follows
Community document R/2462/78 on the European agricultural guidance guarantee fund guidance ceiling, was adopted at the Agricul- 304W ture Council on 8 May 1979 and debated early in the session of the present Parliament with other documents concerned with the CAP on 15 June 1979. This was before the undertaking given on 13 July 1979 by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.Community document 7577/79, the framework regulation providing for registration of crude oil and/or petroleum products imports into the Community, was given assent at the Foreign Affairs Council on 24 July 1979. The debate, which also covered the implementing regulation which had not then been adopted, took place on 29 October as soon as was possible after the House reassembled after Summer Recess. The Scrutiny Committee were kept informed at all times.Part of Community document 4679/79 on the reorganisation of the European Court of Justice was agreed by the Council written procedure on 26 July. My right hon. and learned Friend the Attorney-General wrote to the Scrutiny Committee before then and made a written statement to the House on 26 July 1979.Community document 8587/79 concerned with EURATOM loan schemes was given assent at the Research Council on 20 December 1979. The Scrutiny Committee was informed before the decision was taken and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy explained the situation in a written parliamentary answer on 15 January 1980 immediately after the Christmas Recess and in a debate on 5 February 1980.Community document 8476/80 on New Zealand butter exports to the Community was agreed in principle at the Agriculture Council on 22 July 1980. My right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food explained the situation orally to the House on 24 July 1980 and the recommended debate took place on 25 July. The docucent was subsequently adopted by the Council on 30 September 1980.Community document 8392/79 concerned with fisheries in the North West Atlantic was adopted on 23 November 1979 at the Budget Council. In addition, Community document 4096/80 concerned with information on total fisheries catches was agreed in principle at the Fisheries Council on 29 January 1980. My right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food made an oral statement on 30 January on immediate return from the Council and wrote to the Scrutiny Committee; further explanations were given in a debate on 14 February.