HC Deb 24 January 2000 vol 343 cc32-3W
Mr. Bercow

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the reasoning behind the selection of each venue for the Your Britain Your Europe roadshow. [105536]

Mr. Vaz

I refer the hon. Member to my written reply to his question of 18 January 2000,Official Report, column 415W. He should make a point of reading the replies to questions he has tabled.

Mr. Bercow

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he held with hon. Members regarding the Your Britain Your Europe roadshow, prior to its tour. [105537]

Mr. Vaz

Prior to the roadshow I wrote to all the hon. Members whose constituencies I covered during my tour.

Mr. Bercow

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for what reason Her Majesty's Government have sponsored the Your Britain Your Europe roadshow; which organisations were consulted over planning; and if he will make a statement on efforts made to maintain political neutrality therein. [105538]

Mr. Vaz

It is Government policy to set out the benefits of our membership of the EU. One of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's publicly declared performance targets is to increase public support for EU activities.

We consulted the European Commission, European Parliament, Britain in Europe and Government Departments during the planning stage.

This was not a party political event. All relevant constituency MPs and MEPs were invited to join.

Mr. Bercow

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the nature of the activities featuring in the Your Britain Your Europe roadshow as concern(a) the British Embassy in Paris, (b) schools, (c) Nissan, Sunderland, (d) the House of Commons and (e) the South West Regional Euro Forum; and if he will deposit a copy of all material distributed during the tour in the Library. [105535]

Mr. Vaz

At the British Embassy in Paris I conducted a radio interview for the Today programme. In the UK, I visited several schools either to discuss EU projects in which they were involved, or to exchange views on Europe with students. At Nissan I met plant management and senior business leaders to discuss the impact of the single market on their businesses. I had no roadshow engagement in the House of Commons. At the South West Regional Euro Forum, I met regional business leaders to discuss trade opportunities and the impact of the euro. I have deposited copies of the roadshow material in the House of Commons Library.