HC Deb 14 July 1995 vol 263 cc816-7W
Sir Teddy Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when Her Majesty's Government advised the Economic Union that it would agree to the mutual recognition of visas issued by European Union states; what was the legislative basis for such a commitment; and if he will make a statement. [34426]

Mr. Nicholas Baker

A form of mutual recognition of short-stay visas issued by other member states is provided in the draft external frontiers convention, which was agreed in substance in June 1991 but has remained unsigned owing to objections by Spain to its application in Gibraltar. The draft convention was drawn up under the ad-hoc arrangements for co-operation on immigration matters which preceded the treaty on European Union, TEU.

Following the entry into force of the treaty, a revised text of the draft convention was published by the Commission in December 1993, the legal basis for which is article K3.2(c) TEU. Discussions on this text are continuing. My right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary has undertaken that the final text of the convention will be brought back before Parliament before it is signed and that the Government will not ratify the convention before the necessary legislation has been enacted by Parliament in accordance with the normal procedures.