§ 21. Mr. Home Robertsonasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those areas in which the Government are prepared to accept the greater use of majority voting in the Council of Ministers.
§ Mr. RifkindOver 40 articles of the treaty of Rome already provide for majority voting, but the Council's practice has usually been to defer votes in the search for unanimity. We consider that British interest would be well served if votes were more regularly taken where the treaty so provides, subject to the right of member states to insist that discussion is continued where very important national interests are at stake.