HL Deb 20 July 1995 vol 566 cc59-60WA
Lord Tebbit

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will describe what responsibilities will rest upon the First Secretary to ensure effective co-ordination between the Foreign Secretary and the Chancellor of the Exchequer concerning their departmental responsibilities for European affairs.

The Lord Privy Seal (Viscount Cranborne)

There is already effective co-operation between my right honourable friends the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary on European issues. This will be assisted in the future, as in the past, by the arrangements for collective Cabinet responsibility, in which the First Secretary of State will play an important role, not least as chairman of several Cabinet Committees and anex-officio member of others.