§ Mr. LidingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the dates when the Strategic Committee on Immigration, Frontiers and Asylum is due to meet during 1999; and if he will make a statement on the programme of work of that committee. [92784]
§ Mr. Mike O'Brien[holding answer 23 July 1999]: Meetings of the Strategic Committee on Immigration, Frontiers and Asylum (SCIFA) were held on 15 June, under the German Presidency, and on 26 July, under the Finnish Presidency. The Presidency has not notified dates of future meetings although none is scheduled for September, the latest month for which a calendar is available. The Presidency has, however, indicated its intention to make such dates available on its Presidency website.
The programme of work of the SCIFA is to prepare dossiers, after initial consideration by the working groups, for discussion by the Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) Council. Copies of the Finnish Presidency Work Programme in the area of JHA will be placed in the Library.
I very much welcome the Finnish Presidency's pragmatic approach to its work programme and their aim to continue discussions on issues raised under previous Presidencies. I am also pleased to note the high priority being given to combating illegal immigration and to improving the effective operation of the Dublin Convention, both issues which are of considerable concern to the Government.