§ Mr. Hoyleasked the Lord Privy Seal if he will take steps to provide British Members of the European Parliament with better access to the House, in line with the facilities available to Members of the European Parliament in other European Community countries.
§ Mr. BiffenAccess to the House for British Members of the European Parliament was the subject of a Services Committee report in March 1980 (second report, H.C. (1979–80)461). The report made limited proposals for access, the implementation of which was to be only on a trial basis and subject in any case to a decision of the House. No such decision was taken. Since then, the increased pressure on House facilities by both Members and staff of the House has given rise to concern, and in the last Parliament an investigation was begun into the erosion of Members' rights by several Sub-Committees of the Services Committee. No doubt the recently appointed Sub-Committees may wish to consider resuming these inquiries and I will draw the hon. Member's concern for improved access for MEPs to their attention in that context.