HC Deb 05 June 2003 vol 406 cc547-8W
Mr. Redwood

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the proposed EU constitutional structure in the draft constitution is federal. [116157]

Mr. MacShane

No.

Mr. Redwood

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the United Kingdom negotiating objectives are when discussing the draft European constitution. [116158]

Mr. MacShane

Discussions on a constitutional treaty for the EU have been taking place in the Convention on the Future of Europe. The Government's objective is to build a European Union of nation states, which is more democratically accountable, better understood, and works effectively with 25 or more Member States, to deliver on the issues that matter. The Government wishes to see the enlargement of the European Union work successfully and this requires a new constitutional treaty which would be ratified by Parliament.

Mr. Redwood

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to make reform to the fishing settlement a condition for accepting a new EU constitution. [116161]

Mr. MacShane

No.

Mr. Redwood

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the United Kingdom Parliament would need EU approval before legislating in areas of EU competence under the present draft constitution for the EU. [116163]

Mr. MacShane

The draft constitution divides Union competence into three broad types.

In those areas where the Member States have conferred upon the Union exclusive competence, only the Union may legislate. The Member States may legislate when empowered to do so by the Union or in order to implement Union acts. Where the nature of the competence conferred upon the Union is shared, both the Union and the Member States may legislate. The Member States may legislate to the extent that the Union has not or has ceased to exercise its competence. The draft constitutional treaty includes a provision for national parliaments to examine whether EU legislative proposals comply with the principle of subsidiarity.

The third type is where the Union action is limited to areas supporting, coordinating or complementing Member States' action.

The forthcoming Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) will make final proposals in this area and these will be ratified by Parliament once the IGC is over.

Mr. Redwood

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his policy is on the retention of the phrase, "ever closer Union", in the draft EU constitution. [116167]

Mr. MacShane

The phrase "ever closer Union" has always been in the preamble of the Treaty on Economic Community (TEC), EEC, EC and EU Treaties. The phrase has been approved by Parliament and the Government would not object to its retention.