§ Mr. Matthew TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many times Ministers in his Department have met their counterparts in the US Government since 1 June 1998; and if he will list the(a) dates, (b) locations, (c) Ministers involved and (d) names of the US counterparts at each meeting. [71983]
§ Mr. Tony Lloyd[holding answer 25 February 1999] Foreign Office Ministers have frequent contact with members of the US Administration in the United States, in the UK and elsewhere overseas. Since 1 June 1998, the FCO Ministers listed have visited the United States and have had formal meetings with their approximate US counterparts as follows:
§ Ms QuinNeither my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary nor I have yet received any formal representations regarding the Court's decision, but I am well aware of the strong interest it has generated, including in both Houses and in Gibraltar. We will be taking all available steps to secure an extension of the EP franchise to Gibraltar. We can do this only by amending the 1976 EC Act on Direct Elections. This will require the agreement of all EU member states. HMG will seek such an amendment in the current negotiations in Brussels on establishing Common Principles for EP elections.