§ Mr. MacleanTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the issues for discussion before the Agriculture Council on 22 and 23 February, indicating the position he proposes to take on each issue. [72747]
§ Mr. Nick Brown[holding answer 24 February 1999]: Every six months, at the beginning of an EU Presidency, the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, my right hon. Friend and the Member for Gateshead, East and Washington, West (Ms Quin) outlines to the House meetings expected during the Presidency. Every month, she gives the House details of the items expected at meetings of the Council of Ministers during the month.
909WAfter each meeting of the Agriculture Council, I report back to the European Scrutiny Committee on the business conducted at the Agriculture Council meeting. The Government have recently extended arrangements for scrutinising Council business to include the Second and Third Pillars of the Treaty on European Union, as well as the First Pillar. The Government will continue to promote the interests of the United Kingdom at all meetings of the Council of Ministers. However, it has not been the practice of successive Administrations to indicate the position that Ministers propose to take in advance of Council.