§ Mr. RosindellTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the main issues are which the Government intend to focus on during the UK's presidency of the European Union. [184260]
§ Mr. MacShaneThe overall Council Agenda for 2004–06 is set out clearly in the Multi-Annual Strategic Programme (MASP), copies of which have been placed in the Library of the House. The agenda for the UK 173W Presidency will be determined, to a large extent, by the agenda we inherit from preceding Presidencies and their progress on the dossiers identified in the MASP. The Government are in the process of detailed planning and discussion within and between Departments at ministerial and official level to identify detailed policy themes for the UK Presidency, within the context of that broader agenda.