HC Deb 25 February 1991 vol 186 cc369-70W
Mr. Teddy Taylor

To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will take steps to give the members of the European Standing Committees notification of the dates which have been listed for consideration by the appropriate Councils of Ministers of documents which have been referred to the Standing Committees.

Mr. MacGregor

The expected timetable for Council consideration of an EC document is set out in general terms in the Government's explanatory memorandum on the document. In addition, monthly forecasts of the agendas for individual Council meetings are placed in the Vote Office (though these are subject to last-minute changes). However, the Government have stated their commitment to holding scrutiny debates early in the consideration of a proposal and certainly before its adoption by the Council wherever possible.