§ Llew SmithTo ask the Leader of the House what evaluation he has made of the proposals put forward by the Conference of Community and European Affairs Committees of Parliaments of the European Union (COSAC) in respect of the relative powers of national Parliaments. [138068]
§ Mr. HainI am aware of COSAC's Contribution of 7 October, and have noted that it proposes that all Parliaments within the EU should hold simultaneous debates on the Commission's legislative and work programme. I shall consider further, in discussion with colleagues, what forum might be most appropriate for debate of the Commission's programme.
I note that the Contribution also endorses the provisions in the draft constitutional treaty for direct transfer of Commission documentation to national Parliaments and for an "early-warning mechanism" by which national Parliaments would be able to present a reasoned opinion if they felt that legislative proposals breached the principle of subsidiarity. The Government strongly support these provisions.