HL Deb 15 January 1998 vol 584 c208WA
Lord Bruce of Donington

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will publish the text of the common position on the FISCALIS programme agreed at the Economic and Finance Council of Ministers on 1 December.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey

At their meeting on 1 December, EC Finance Ministers reached political agreement only on the content of a common position on the FISCALIS programme. Formal adoption of the common position is not expected until the early part of this year. The Financial Secretary to the Treasury wrote to the chairmen of the scrutiny committees of both Houses on 17 December explaining the position. While a final text is not yet available, I will arrange for copies of the latest text, which formed the basis of the political agreement at Ecofin, to be placed in the Library of the House.