HC Deb 06 March 1996 vol 273 cc253-4W
24. Mr. Pope

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his European counterparts about the forthcoming intergovernmental conference on the future of the European Union. [17286]

Mr. David Davis

My right hon. and learned Friend the Foreign Secretary has regular discussions with his European counterparts about the IGC, most recently at the Foreign Affairs Council on 25 to 26 February in Brussels.

32. Mr. Riddick

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the first meeting of the 1996 IGC will take place; and how long it is scheduled to last. [17294]

Mr. Davis

The first meeting of the IGC is scheduled to take place in Turin on 29 March. The IGC has no fixed end-date.

33. Mr. Rooney

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to propose treaty amendments at the intergovernmental conference to make more open the proceedings of the institutions of the European Union. [17295]

Mr. Davis

We are committed to making the European Union institutions more open and have supported a number of initiatives to achieve this, for example, by making more Council documents publicly available. We are considering how we might take this forward at the IGC.

Mr. Purchase

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the content of Her Majesty's Government's proposed White Paper on the intergovernmental conference of the European Union. [17274]

Mr. Davis

The White Paper will set out the Government's approach to the forthcoming intergovernmental conference.