HC Deb 15 April 1999 vol 329 cc299-300W
Mr. Chope

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will give details of the occasions since 1 May 1997 when his Department has made available to the European Scrutiny Committee unofficial text of draft European legislation. [80501]

Mr. Meale

[holding answer 13 April 1999]: The Department receives a large volume of both official and unofficial working texts during the course of negotiations on EU legislation. In order to facilitate the work of the European Scrutiny Committee and to keep it informed of the progress of negotiations, the Department regularly submits Explanatory Memoranda to the Committee. It would involve disproportionate cost to provide a definitive list of the unofficial documents made available to the Committee since 1 May.

Mr. Chope

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions on how many occasions since 1 May 1997 his Department has made available to the European Scrutiny Committee council working documents. [80543]

Mr. Meale

[holding answer 13 April 1999]: The Department receives a large volume of both official and unofficial working texts during the course of negotiations on EU legislation. In order to facilitate the work of the European Scrutiny Committee and to keep it informed of the progress of negotiations, the Department regularly submits Explanatory Memoranda to the Committee. It would involve disproportionate cost to provide a definitive list of the working documents made available to the Committee since 1 May.