HL Deb 31 July 1997 vol 582 cc87-8WA
Baroness Lestor of Eccles

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will announce the composition of the United Kingdom delegation for the September 1997 Part-Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

Lord Richard

The September 1997 Part-Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe will be opened in Strasbourg on 22 September. The delegation from the United Kingdom for the session will consist of 23 members of the Labour Party, nine of the Conservative Party and four members from the minority parties. The delegation will serve in place of the current delegation from the opening of the September 1997 Part-Session.

The appointments of representatives and substitutes have been made on the basis of nominations by the parties concerned, in accordance with the resolution of the House of Commons on 22 May 1992, Official Report, column 682, and of this House on 18 June 1992, cols. 290 to 292.

The same delegation will be representing the United Kingdom Parliament at the Assembly of the Western European Union.

Representatives from the Government benches will be:

The Hon. Member for Birmingham Hodge Hill (Mr. Davies), who will act as leader; the Hon. Members for Tooting (Mr. Cox), for Leigh (Mr. Cunliffe), for Sunderland North (Mr. Etherington), for Newport West (Mr. Fynn), for Glasgow Maryhill (Maria Fyfe), for Hull North (Mr. McNamara), for Leicester South (Mr. Marshall), for Knowsley South (Mr. O'Hara), for Glasgow Baillieston (Mr. Wray), Lord Kirkhill and Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede.

Representatives from the Conservative Party will be:

The Hon. Members for Bournemouth East (Mr. Atkinson, for Chipping Barnet (Sir Sydney Chapman), for Yorkshire East (Mr. Townend) and the Lord Newall.

Representatives from the minority parties will be:

The Rt. Hon. Member for Strangford (Mr. Taylor) and Lord Russell-Johnston.

The following substitutes have been appointed to act as necessary on behalf of the delegates.

From the Government Benches—the Hon. Members for Keighley (Ann Cryer), for Wolverhampton South West (Jenny Jones), for Bristol North West (Mr. Naysmith), for Dover (Mr. Prosser), for Stourbridge (Debra Shipley), for Basildon (Angela Smith), for Morecambe and Lunesdale (Geraldine Smith), for Leicestershire North West (Mr. Taylor), for Finchley and Golders Green (Mr. Vis) Lord Grenfell and Lord Judd.

From the Conservative Party—the Hon. Members for Romsey (Mr. Colvin), for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr. Pickles), for Solihull (Mr. Taylor), for Spelthorne (Mr. Wilshire) and the Earl of Dundee.

From the minority parties—the Hon. Member for Portsmouth South (Mr. Hancock) and the Lord Steel of Aikwood.