§ Dr. GodmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many letters he has received since 4 January 1990 from Members of the European Parliament concerning local or national matters; and if he will make it his practice where the former are concerned to provide the hon. Member for the local constituency with copies of any such correspondence for his or her information.
§ Mr. Garel-JonesThe information is not readily available in the form requested. Where Members of the European Parliament raise matters in correspondence which are exclusively of local interest, the practice is to reply suggesting that the MEP should refer the matter to the hon. Member for the constituency concerned.
A separate arrangement applies in respect of consular cases raised by MEPs. Our normal practice is to copy our response to the appropriate hon. Member in view of the direct personal involvement in such cases of the latter's constituent.