§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what correspondence with(a) the Commission, (b) the General Secretariat of the European Council and (c) foreign ministries of European Union states has occurred as a consequence of the matters leading to the letter of the Permanent Representative of The Netherlands to the United Kingdom Permanent Representative of 16 July; and if he will make a statement. [23582]
§ Mr. Doug HendersonAlthough there were contacts with a number of member States, the Council Secretariat and the Commission, correspondence in writing was with The Netherlands, which held the Presidency at the time of the Amsterdam European Council.
§ Mr. WinnickTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the hon. Member for Walsall, North will receive a reply to his letter dated 9 December 1997, concerning the husband of a constituent, reference IMM/D2969, and appeal reference TH/2894/96; and for what reason no acknowledgement was sent. [24109]
§ Mr. FatchettMy noble Friend the Under-Secretary sent a letter to my hon. Friend about this application on 19 January.
Letters from Members have been acknowledged by a card since mid-November. My hon. Friend should have received such a card and I am sorry if this was not the case.
§ Sir Richard BodyTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what powers of electronic intercept Europol will possess under the Treaty of Amsterdam; and if he will make a statement. [22672]
§ Mr. Michael[holding answer 12 January 1998]: I have been asked to reply.
Europol will have no such powers. It will be a central co-ordinating body within the European Union for the exchange and analysis of criminal intelligence. It will have no operational powers and its staff will have no executive policing functions. The Amsterdam Treaty envisages a developing role for Europol, but one centred on facilitation of and support for the operations of the member states' law enforcement agencies.