HC Deb 13 November 2000 vol 356 cc512-3W
Mr. Spring

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what representations the Government have made in the Council of Ministers on the proposals in the paper CONFER 4790/00, 'Progress report on the intergovernmental conference on Institutional Reform', relating to the extension of qualified majority voting to Article 191; [138020]

(2) what representations the Government have made in the Council of Ministers on the proposals in the paper CONFER 4790/00, 'Progress report on the intergovernmental conference on Institutional Reform', relating to procedures for making regulations governing political parties at European level, with particular reference to their funding. [137977]

Mr. Vaz

Political parties at European level were first recognised in the Maastricht Treaty. The proposal for a legal base to allow the establishment of a Statute to regulate these parties is intended to ensure the transparency of their funding. We strongly support this aim.

The details of such a legal base are still under discussion.

Mr. Spring

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations the Government have made in the Council of Ministers on the proposals in the paper CONFER 4790/00, 'Progress report on the intergovernmental conference on Institutional Reform', relating to (1) enhanced co-operation measures; 137982]

(2) the new conditions for enhanced co-operation measures; [137981]

(3) the abolition of the national veto on enhanced co-operation measures; [137978]

(4) the application of enhanced co-operation procedure to Title V. [137983]

Mr. Vaz

The Prime Minister set out the Government's position on enhanced co-operation in his Warsaw speech on 6 October.

Mr. Spring

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if it remains the Government's policy that immigration and asylum issues fall within the definition of border controls for the purpose of qualified majority voting; [137980]

(2) what representations the Government have made in the Council of Ministers on the proposals in the paper CONFER 4790/00, "Progress report on the intergovernmental conference on Institutional Reform", relating to the extension of qualified majority voting to aspects of asylum and immigration policy; [138021]

(3) what representations the Government have made in the Council of Ministers on the proposals in the paper CONFER 4790/00, "Progress report on the intergovernmental conference on Institutional Reform", relating to items for possible extensions of qualified majority voting. [137976]

Mr. Vaz

I refer the hon. Member to the answer 1 gave to the right hon. Member for Wokingham (Mr. Redwood) on 30 October 2000,Official Report, column 238W.

Mr. Spring

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations the Government have made in the Council of Ministers on the proposals in the paper CONFER 4790/00, 'Progress report on the intergovernmental conference on Institutional Reform', relating to the draft amendments to Article 7. [137979]

Mr. Vaz

The Government have made it clear that they are happy to discuss the proposal for a new early warning mechanism to be applied before any decision to take measures against a member state under Article 7 TEU. The details remain under negotiation.

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