§ Lord Juddasked Her Majesty's Government:
Bearing in mind the implications of the European security and defence initiative for the Western European Union, what they envisage as the future role of the WEU Parliamentary Assembly, with 138WA particular reference to European nations which are members of NATO but not of the European Union and European and European nations which are members of neither NATO nor the European Union. [HL1725]
§ Baroness Scotland of AsthalWe are committed to parliamentary scrutiny of European defence by national parliaments. Discussions on the future of the WEU Assembly are at an early stage. The WEU Assembly proposal for the creation of a European Security and Defence Assembly is one of the options under consideration.