§ Mr. LeggTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the provisions of the treaty of Maastricht which(a) alter the status of the council as an institution of the European Community, (b) increase the scope of majority voting or (c) reduce the right of unilateral action by the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. Garel-JonesI refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Newham, South (Mr. Spearing) on 20 May at column 169 detailing extensions of majority voting under the Maastricht treaty. The status of the Council is not altered by the treaty on European union. The United Kingdom would forgo the right to act unilaterally in monetary mattes if it chose to join the move to a single currency, but the treaty does not oblige it to do so. The treaty includes new articles on education, training, culture, health, consumer protection, industry and development which include powers for the Community to act. But measures in all these areas had already been adopted under the existing treaty, so the articles concerned largely make explicit what is already possible under existing provisions. In addition, article 3b of the treaty sets new criteria for Community action across the board, which will limit its right to constrain member states' activities. On balance, therefore, we are confident that member states' freedom of action will be increased.