§ Lord O'Brien of Lothburyasked Her Majesty's Government:
Why their approval was given to European Community Instrument 11232/82 before the House of Lords had had an opportunity to debate the said instrument.
§ Lord LyellThe Council of Ministers approved by the written procedure on 18th January 1984, proposals for six regulations under Article 13 of the European Regional Development Fund Regulation (Instrument No. 11232/82), three of which will benefit the United Kingdom by enabling Community aid worth approximately £86m. to be given to a series of special assistance programmes in areas adversely affected by employment losses in the steel, shipbuilding and textile sectors.
Unexpectedly, Instrument No. 11232/82 was placed on the agenda for the Council meeting on 19th December 1983, at very short notice, following a twelve-month failure to agree in the Council's Working Group on Regional Policy. At that Council meeting, the Commission was instructed to circulate a revised proposal, to which the Presidency invited member states to give their agreement in writing by 13th January. Since these measures, for which the United Kingdom had been pressing for over two years, would enable aid worth approximately £86m. to be given to the United Kingdom, the Government felt bound to signify their agreement, despite the fact that no debate had been held in either House, and despite the fact that the timetable for approval would not permit one.
Unfortunately, certain member states were still withholding agreement on 13th January, and the Commission circulated still further, albeit minor, amendments on that date and subsequently, for written acceptance by 18th January. Happily, all member states gave their agreement by that date, and the instrument has accordingly been approved.
While we regret that circumstances combined to prevent a debate of this instrument prior to its approval by the Council, we feel sure that the House will wish to join us in welcoming the Council's approval, which will in due course enable much-needed Community aid to be given to steel, shipbuilding and textile areas in the United Kingdom—and, moreover, beyond those originally proposed by the Commission.