§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his plans to return to member states some of the power which the EC institutions at present exercise over them; and if he will list the provisions of the Maastricht treaty which he will use for this purpose.
§ The Prime MinisterThe Community exercises only those powers conferred on it by the Community treaties, signed and ratified by all member states. The principle of subsidiarity, as expressed in article 3b of the Maastricht treaty, is designed to ensure that the Community does not go beyond those powers, and that where the treaty allows a choice between Community level action and action at the level of the member state there will be presumption in favour of the latter.