§ Lord Lester of Herne Hillasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will place in the Library the draft documents relating to proposals for intergovernmental agreement on (a) minimum guarantees in national procedures for the examination of asylum seekers (draft document 4354/94 ASIM); (b) procedures for considering asylum applications in member states (draft document 4644/94 ASIM 25); and (c) guidelines for the harmonised application of the definition of refugee status, in Article 1A of the Geneva Convention relating to the status of refugees (draft document 4783/94 ASIM 33), before decisions on these proposals are taken by the governments of the member states, under the justice and home affairs pillar of the Treaty of European Union; and, if not, why not; and
Whether they will consult Parliament before decisions are taken by the Justice and Interior Ministers at their meeting on 5th and 6th May 1994 in Thessalonika, or by the Justice and Home Affairs 72WA Council at their meeting in Athens on 20th and 21st June 1994, under the justice and home affairs third pillar of the Treaty of European Union, as regards (a) proposed minimum guarantees in national procedures for the examination of asylum seekers; (b) proposed procedures for considering asylum applications in member states; and (c) proposed guidelines for the harmonised application of the definition of refugee status in Article 1A of the Geneva Convention relating to the status of refugees; and, if not, why not.
The Minister of State, Home Office (Earl Ferrers)The documents referred to by the noble Lord are working drafts which fall outside the arrangements for informing Parliament of work conducted under Title VI of the Treaty on Europe Union. Consideration will be given to depositing in the usual way any draft texts of significant importance which emerge as a result of this work. We do not expect these issues to feature on the agenda of either of the Councils to which the noble Lord refers.