§ Bob SpinkTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions the Secretary of State has had about the impact on UK constitutional arrangements of the work of the Convention on the Future of Europe. [134522]
§ Mr. MacShaneThe Government believes that there is a strong case for a single, coherent constitution for the European Union. In effect, the existing treaties already make up a constitutional structure. However, they are overly complex and unclear. For this reason, the Government supports redrafting, restructuring and consolidating the treaties.
The draft Constitution as it stands is not perfect. It contains points which we want to examine in more detail. And we could only accept a final text that made it clear that issues like tax, defence and foreign policy remained the province of the nation State. Provided there is clarity on these points, the reforms proposed by the Convention should be welcomed. They do not alter the fundamental constitutional relationship between the UK and the Union.
The Government published in September Command Paper 5934, setting out its views on the draft Treaty prepared by the Convention, and its implications. This followed detailed discussion and consideration of the draft, both within Government and, for example, in Parliament itself. Members of Parliament took part in 192W the Convention, and committees of Parliament have issued so far this year over a dozen reports on the Convention text.