HC Deb 29 November 2000 vol 357 cc620-1WW W
Mr. Bercow

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his policy towards the minimum number of states required for enhanced co-operation, as proposed in the IGC. [139914]

Mr. Vaz

Talks continue on the number of member states required for enhanced co-operation in specific areas. We have made it clear that we will not accept the creation of an institutionalised inner core of member states, and that enhanced co-operation must be genuinely open to all who want to participate.

Mr. Bercow

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what further harmonisation of social security will arise from Article 42 as referred to in the Progress report of the IGC. [139912]

Mr. Vaz

The Government have made it clear on numerous occasions that they will not accept a move to QMV for social security.

Mr. Bercow

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his position concerning the extension of fields covered by Article 137 as referred to in the Progress report of the IGC. [139910]

Mr. Vaz

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

Mr. Bercow

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for what reason the principle of enhanced co-operation through qualified majority voting has been proposed in place of that set out under the Treaty of Amsterdam; and if he will make a statement. [139963]

Mr. Vaz

Provisions for enhanced co-operation, authorised by QMV, were introduced at Amsterdam.

The Prime Minister set out the reasons for amending the current enhanced co-operation arrangements in his Warsaw speech on 6 October.

Mr. Bercow

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his policy on the establishment of a Committee on Employment and Social Protection. [139911]

Mr. Vaz

I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave to my right hon. Friend the Member for Llanelli (Mr. Davies) on 20 November 2000,Official Report, columns 29–30W.

Mr. Bercow

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will make a statement on his policy towards use of the veto at Nice; [139786]

(2) if he will make a statement on use of the veto when the United Kingdom Government are in a minority of one at the Council of Ministers. [139787]

Mr. Vaz

The Government believe in pursuing Britain's interests in Europe constructively. But where the use of the veto is essential in the national interest, we will not hesitate to use it.