To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the text of the Amsterdam treaty deposited in the Library is the final draft; if articles in that text may be altered substantially before the treaty is signed; which articles are currently under negotiation; and if he will make a statement. [9692]

The text placed in the Libraries of the House is a provisional version of the draft treaty of Amsterdam. The presidency is reviewing its contents, in consultation with the member states, to ensure that it accurately reflects what was agreed at Amsterdam. The text will also be recorded and scrutinised by jurist-linguists, which may result in technical changes to a number of articles.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs under what provisions of the Amsterdam treaty information may be passed (a) from EU institutions to the Schengen secretariat and (b) from the Schengen secretariat to EU institutions. [9642]

There are no provisions in the Amsterdam treaty relating to the passage of information between the EU institutions and the Schengen Secretariat. Under article F of the Schengen protocol

"the Council, shall, acting by a qualified majority, adopt the modalities for the integration of the Schengen Secretariat into the General Secretariat of the Council".