§ Mr. Marlowasked the Secretary of State for the Environment which European institutions have acquired powers over United Kingdom environmental policies since the United Kingdom's accession; and to what extent these powers have been developed.
§ Mr. Patrick JenkinNo European institution has acquired such powers. In some areas of environmental activity the United Kingdom has agreed with other member states to adopt specific measures on the basis of proposals made by the Commission of the European Communities. Such measures require the unanimous consent of member states under articles 100 and/or 235 of the Treaty of Rome. It is only where such agreement results in the Community as a whole acquiring competence in a specific policy area that member states must comply with the terms of the agreement.
I will send my hon. Friend a summary of existing agreed measure.