Oral Answers to Questions — Foreign and Commonwealth Office – in the House of Commons at 2:30 pm on 19 January 2010.
Philip Hollobone
Conservative, Kettering
2:30,
19 January 2010
What recent discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on progress on reform of the EU budget; and if he will make a statement.
Chris Bryant
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Europe)
Reform of the EU budget was last discussed at the December European Council. Heads of Government called on the Commission to produce a report in order for the Council to lay out its priorities during 2010. The Government remain committed to far-reaching reform of the EU budget.
Philip Hollobone
Conservative, Kettering
When Tony Blair abolished Margaret Thatcher's rebate, we were promised significant reform of the EU budget and of the common agricultural policy, instead of which Britain's membership fee for the European Union has more than doubled, there is no significant reform to the common agricultural policy, and EU accounts remain dodgy at best. Is this not another broken promise by a failed Labour Government?
Chris Bryant
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Europe)
If the hon. Gentleman wants to talk about broken promises, he should speak to the leader of his own party. I am sure the hon. Gentleman is pretty depressed by the end of the cast-iron guarantee, but he should not mischaracterise what happened. The abatement still exists. It is worth billions of pounds for the UK. We, however, not only willed the end-namely, the enlargement of the European Union-but we were also prepared to will the means, by being prepared to pay an element of the advantage that other countries coming into the EU would provide to the UK in the form of trade and jobs.
Gregory Campbell
Shadow Minister (Transport), Shadow Minister (Work and Pensions)
When can citizens of the United Kingdom expect to see a reasonable and fair deal for membership of the European Union?
Chris Bryant
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Europe)
I think that all citizens of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland get a very good deal out of the EU. It guarantees jobs, and more than 50 per cent. of this country's trade is wholly dependent on our membership of the EU. If the hon. Gentleman wants to take Britain out of the EU, he should table a motion. [ Interruption. ]
John Bercow
Chair, Members Estimate Committee, Chair, Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, Speaker of the House of Commons, Chair, Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, Speaker of the House of Commons, Chair, Members Estimate Committee, Chair, Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, Chair, Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission
Order. I know that the Minister for Europe has the effect of winding up Opposition Members, but they must do their best to contain themselves.
Ministers make up the Government and almost all are members of the House of Lords or the House of Commons. There are three main types of Minister. Departmental Ministers are in charge of Government Departments. The Government is divided into different Departments which have responsibilities for different areas. For example the Treasury is in charge of Government spending. Departmental Ministers in the Cabinet are generally called 'Secretary of State' but some have special titles such as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ministers of State and Junior Ministers assist the ministers in charge of the department. They normally have responsibility for a particular area within the department and are sometimes given a title that reflects this - for example Minister of Transport.
The Opposition are the political parties in the House of Commons other than the largest or Government party. They are called the Opposition because they sit on the benches opposite the Government in the House of Commons Chamber. The largest of the Opposition parties is known as Her Majesty's Opposition. The role of the Official Opposition is to question and scrutinise the work of Government. The Opposition often votes against the Government. In a sense the Official Opposition is the "Government in waiting".
