§ Mr. MitchellTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which articles of the treaties of the(a) European Union and (b) European Communities which require unanimity have been proposed for amendment in favour of qualified majority voting; in which cases Her Majesty's Government agrees with such a change; and where unanimity applies to change by the Council of Ministers of decisions already taken by another Institution established by those treaties. [103134]
§ Mr. VazThe IGC will not begin until early next year. As a result no formal proposals have yet been put forward for Treaty amendment. The Government have made its position clear on numerous occasions. We shall consider the extension of QMV on a case by case basis. Where it is in Britain's interests we shall support it. But where key national interests need to be protected, such as border controls, defence, Treaty change and taxation, we shall insist on retaining unanimity.