§ Lord Lamont of Lerwickasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they agree with the recent statements by the European Union to the President of Austria about relationships between Austria and the European Union; and on what basis, given the United Kingdom Government's insistence that the European Union is a union of sovereign states, does the European Union seek to advise Austria about which political parties should form its coalition government. [HL876]
§ Baroness Scotland of AsthalWe are strongly committed to the measures which Austria's 14 EU partners agreed to take in the event of the Freedom Party joining government. It is up to the Austrian people to choose their government, but it is only right and natural that we should show our deep concern and distaste at the inclusion of a far-Right party in the government of an EU member state.