HL Deb 29 April 1994 vol 554 cc53-4WA
Lord Pearson of Rannoch

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they raised the doctrine of subsidiarity at the Council of Ministers this year when it agreed the European Communities' legislative programme for 1994 with the European Parliament and the Commission; and if so, to what effect.

The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Chalker of Wallasey)

The Commission's legislative programme is not binding on the Council, the Commission or the European Parliament. In accordance with the 25 October 1993 inter-institutional agreement on democracy, transparency and subsidiarity, the Foreign Affairs Council on 7 February adopted a Council declaration on the legislative programme. We supported the declaration, which specifically mentions the application of subsidiarity as an area on which the Council will lazy particular emphasis.