British-Irish Council

HC Deb 03 February 2000 vol 343 c719W

Mr. Bercow

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to her answer of 12 January 2000,Official Report, columns 200–01W, if she will list those categories of matter to be discussed by the British-Irish Council under the remit, Approaches to EU Issues. [108281]

Marjorie Mowlam

The Belfast Agreement recognised "Approaches to EU affairs" as being one of the topics which the British Irish Council could consider.

The summit meeting of the Council in December 1999 confirmed a general list of subjects which the Council could consider. It also identified as initial priorities the environment, drugs, social inclusion, transport and the knowledge economy. No discussion took place on which EU issues might, in future, be the subject of work within the framework of the Council.