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European Union Committee

Volume 687: debated on Tuesday 21 November 2006

My Lords, in the absence of the Chairman of Committees, I beg to move the Motion standing in my name on the Order Paper.

Moved, That a Select Committee be appointed to consider European Union documents and other matters relating to the European Union.

That the expression “European Union documents” shall include the following documents:

(i) Any proposal under the Community Treaties for legislation by the Council or the Council acting jointly with the European Parliament;

(ii) Any document which is published for submission to the European Council, the Council or the European Central Bank;

(iii) Any proposal for a common strategy, a joint action or a common position under Title V (provisions on a common foreign and security policy) of the Treaty on European Union which is prepared for submission to the Council or to the European Council;

(iv) Any proposal for a common position, framework decision, decision or a convention under Title VI (provisions on police and judicial co-operation in criminal matters) of the Treaty on European Union which is prepared for submission to the Council;

(v) Any document (not falling within (ii), (iii) or (iv) above) which is published by one Union institution for or with a view to submission to another Union institution and which does not relate exclusively to consideration of any proposal for legislation;

(vi) Any other document relating to European Union matters deposited in the House by a Minister of the Crown.

That, as proposed by the Committee of Selection, the following members be appointed to the committee:

L Blackwell

L Bowness

L Brown of Eaton-under-Heywood

B Cohen of Pimlico

L Freeman

L Geddes

L Grenfell (Chairman)

L Harrison

L Kerr of Kinlochard

L Maclennan of Rogart

L Marlesford

L Powell of Bayswater

L Roper

L Sewel

B Symons of Vernham Dean

B Thomas of Walliswood

L Tomlinson

L Wright of Richmond;

That the committee have power to appoint sub-committees and to refer to them any matters within its terms of reference; that the committee have power to appoint the Chairmen of sub-committees, but that the sub-committees have power to appoint their own Chairmen for the purpose of particular inquiries; that the quorum of each sub-committee be two;

That the committee have power to co-opt any member to serve on a sub-committee;

That the committee have power to appoint specialist advisers;

That the committee and its sub-committees have power to adjourn from place to place;

That the committee have leave to report from time to time;

That the Reports of the Select committee shall be printed, regardless of any adjournment of the House;

That the evidence taken by the European Union Committee or any sub-committee in the last session of Parliament be referred to the committee; and

That the evidence taken by the Committee shall, if the committee so wishes, be printed.—(Baroness Amos.)

My Lords, I cannot be silent over the fact that 12 of the 18 members of the proposed committee appear to be among your Lordships’ most ardent Euro-philes, and that only two appear to be somewhat Euro-sceptic. Will the Leader of the House elucidate on the other matters that the committee is empowered to consider, apart from the extensive range of documents set out on the Order Paper?

My Lords, the noble Lord will know that a number of issues arise in relation to the consideration of European Union Committee matters. This is a formulation that is always used to enable the committee to consider those matters without coming back to the House on each occasion.

On Question, Motion agreed to.