§ Lord Shore of Stepneyasked the Chairman of Committees:
In what year the Select Committee on the European Communities was first established and with what terms of reference; and when the present Sub-Committees A, B, C, D, E, and F of the European Union Committees were established and with what subject matters they are dealing. [HL2658]
§ The Chairman of Committees (Lord Boston of Faversham)The Select Committee on the European Communities was established in May 1974, following the United Kingdom's accession to the EC the previous year. The committee's original terms of reference were:
"To consider Community proposals, whether in draft or otherwise, to obtain all necessary information about them, and to make reports on those which, in the opinion of the Committee, 156WA raise important questions of policy or principle and on other questions to which the Committee consider that the special attention of the House should be drawn."
The committee originally appointed five sub-committees. The number of standing sub-committees has varied over the years between five and seven. In addition, ad hoc sub-committees have been appointed to consider specific topics. The remits of the sub-committees have evolved gradually in line with changes in the European Communities/Union. The matters dealt with by the six sub-committees of what is now the European Union Committee are:
- A Economic and Financial Affairs, Trade and External Relations
- B Energy, Industry and Transport
- C Common Foreign Security Policy
- D Environment, Agriculture, Public Health and Consumer Protection
- E Law and Institutions
- F Social Affairs, Education and Home Affairs.