HC Deb 14 July 1999 vol 335 c251W
Mr. Bercow

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the European Communities working groups which met over the last 12 months with a representative from his Department in attendance; if he will list the number of times each met; if he will indicate the nature of the Government's representation; and if he will make a statement. [88474]

Ms Quin

Officials from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office regularly attend more than 50 working groups, most notably those dealing with the EU's external relations.

The frequency of meetings varies from group to group. For example, the ad hoc Lomé working group meets weekly, while the Euro-Med group meets monthly. The Government are always represented at these meetings by officials from the FCO or by officials from the UK's Permanent Representation in Brussels.

There is no record of the exact number of times each working group has met. Given the large number of groups involved it would be extremely difficult and time consuming to compile such a record.

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