§ Mr. WelshTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many meetings of the European Council of Ministers have taken place since April 1994; how many Scottish Office Ministers have attended in each case; which minister attended; and what was the subject discussed at each of these meetings. [32231]
§ Mr. Michael Forsyth[holding answer 5 July 1995]: The various European Councils of Ministers meet on average about 125 times per year. The subject matter of their meetings is often not a direct responsibility of the Scottish Office—for example, the Foreign Affairs Councils. Where, however, the matters under discussion are relevant to my responsibilities, Scottish Ministers are consulted on the line to take or attend the meetings as part of the United Kingdom delegation.
Since April 1994 my hon. Friend the Member for Dumfries, then Minister for Fisheries in Scotland, attended 6 Fisheries Councils, my noble and learned friend the Minister of State at the Department of Trade and Industry, then Minister for Home Affairs in Scotland, attended two Justice/Interior Issues Councils and one Fisheries Council and my honourable friend the Member for Eastwood, then Minister for Industry in Scotland, attended one Regional Policy Council.
Agendas for meetings of the Council of Ministers usually cover a number of different subjects, but all within the area of responsibility of the particular Council.
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