§ Lord Mulleyasked Her Majesty's Government:
How they interpret, in the context of Westminster parliamentary procedures, Article 33 of Title IV of the general provisions relating to all treaties concerning the European Communities, which require such treaties to be ratified by the parties "in accordance with their constitutional requirements".
§ The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Chalker of Wallasey)Our interpretation of this article was demonstrated by the procedures which we followed at the time of the Single European Act (SEA). Before ratifying the SEA, we introduced legislation into Parliament, and secured the passage of that legislation, to make the necessary changes in British law so that the United Kingdom could give effect to the provisions of the Single European Act.