HC Deb 01 May 1984 vol 59 cc136-8W
Mr. Forman

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish in the Official Report a statement of forthcoming business in the European Community's Council of Ministers.

Mr. Whitney

The usual written forecast was deposited in the House on 30 April. At present seven meetings of the Council of Ministers are planned for May.

The Agriculture Council is next expected to meet on 7 and 8 May to consider agricultural structures including aids for investment in agricultural holdings, measures for forestry and the protection of the environment. It is also expected to consider New Zealand butter quotas and olive oil controls to be applied to the 1984–85 marketing year, and olive oil as a food aid; arrangements for Mediterranean agriculture, including fruit and vegetables; the sheepmeat voluntary restraint agreement; and processed fruit and vegetables.

A meeting of the Transport Council is to be held on 10 May to consider lorry weights, road haulage quotas, railway co-operation, infrastructure spending, drivers' hours, road safety and the European Commission Memorandum on aviation.

The Foreign Affairs Council is due to meet on 14 and 15 May when it is expected to continue its discussions on the post-Stuttgart negotiations and to consider the problem of the forecast overrun of the 1984 Community budget. The Council is also likely to consider the current state of the negotiations for a successor to the second Lomé convention; the proposed new European regional development fund regulation; the proposed Council resolution on the easing of frontier controls on citizens of European Community member states; and the Community's position for the negotiation of the second international cocoa agreement. Ministers will also prepare the Community's position for the Ministerial Conference with Portugal which is to be held in the margins of the Council and will review progress on the negotiations for Spanish accession.

The Education Council is expected to meet on 21 May to discuss the education of migrant workers' children; foreign language teaching; illiteracy; the integration of handicapped children into the school system; and education in the light of changing demographic, social and economic conditions.

The Energy Council will meet on 22 May to consider proposals for energy demonstration projects; coal social measures, and investment in the solid fuels industry. Ministers will discuss the Commission's review of member states' energy policies and natural gas in the Community.

The Fisheries Council is next expected to meet on 24 May to consider North sea herring quotas, conservation regulations relating to bottom trawling in the south-west mackerel box and the size of boats used for beam trawling. It may also discuss fisheries aspects of Portuguese accession and training and safety measures for fishermen under the social policy of the common fisheries policy.

The Research Council is expected to meet on 29 May to discuss a Commission proposal to strengthen European competitiveness in biotechnology. It will also discuss scientific and technical co-operation; non-nuclear energy; radiation protection of persons undergoing medical treatment; reactor safety and a Commission proposal for basic research in industrial technologies for Europe.