To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 20 February 2008, Official Report, column 710W, on President of the European Council: pay, what the timescale is for discussions on the salary and job-related benefits of the President of the European Council. (198910)

Discussions on the identity of the new full-time President, on his/her terms and conditions, and on the new rules of procedure of the European Council will take place at the appropriate time before he/she takes up the post. All of these decisions will, of course, depend on ratification of the treaty by all 27 member states.

The treaty will only enter into force once every country has ratified, and not before January 2009.