Lord Grenfell: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether, in light of the enlargement of the European Union to 25 member states, they will now press for reform of the Union's institutions as a matter of urgency.
Lord Grenfell: My Lords, I thank the Minister for that helpful reply. Can she say whether documentation setting out the proposed revised drafts of those treaty articles dealing with institutional reform—I stress the word "documentation"—will be made available to Parliament so that it can be scrutinised before the European Council meeting in June?
Lord Grenfell: My Lords, does the Minister recall that as long ago as May last year, in a preliminary report, the European Union Select Committee drew attention to the fact that there was a lack of clarity on the point that the noble Lord, Lord Owen, has just raised in his Question? Does she also recall, as the noble Lord, Lord Owen, certainly does because he gave us evidence on this point, that in our...
Lord Grenfell: My Lords, I thank the Minister for repeating the Statement. I very much welcome the emphasis that is placed on national democratic scrutiny of the work of the European Union and the British Government's role within it. I welcome with equal enthusiasm the fact that they will produce White Papers twice a year and lay them before the House. I also thank her for her kind remarks about the work of...
Lord Grenfell: My Lords, I call Amendment No. 44.
Lord Grenfell: My Lords—
Lord Grenfell: My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord, Lord McNally for giving way. My name has been mentioned by the Leader of the Opposition but I speak only for myself. This matter has not been discussed by members of the committee in any formal sense and, frankly, I would not touch it with a barge pole. My reason for saying so is simply this: we have a very full programme of scrutiny to conduct in...
Lord Grenfell: My Lords, I am very grateful to the noble Lord for giving way. However, does he accept that I stand by everything that he has read out? He quoted from the committee's report. I do not dispute those quotations. However, the noble Lord puts the weights on to one side of the balance. If he also quoted those parts of the draft treaty where there is a very definite shift towards the member states...
Lord Grenfell: My Lords, it seems as if it was only yesterday—in fact it was a week ago—that I was on my feet testing your Lordships' patience with a 17-minute discourse on what our report on the draft treaty was all about and what conclusions it reached. I promise that I shall not repeat that now. But there were one or two issues in that speech that I need to raise again, more as points of emphasis...
Lord Grenfell: My Lords, I am afraid I do not really share the noble Lord's concern. I thought one of the clearest points in the draft was the setting out and description of those competences and who had the right to confer them—that is, the member states. If that happens, the European Court of Justice is there to take that point, and I hope that it would do so with vigour. Since the noble Lord has...
Lord Grenfell: My Lords, I was developing my point, but I will.
Lord Grenfell: My Lords, it is said to be establishing a constitution for Europe, but it does not have many of the features of what we normally know as a constitution. The noble Lord, Lord Waddington, quoted the first 10 words of the draft treaty. It is important to note that the draft treaty does not start with the words, "We, the people". It makes no claim whatever to grass roots legitimacy. In our view,...
Lord Grenfell: My Lords, I beg to move the Motion standing in my name on the Order Paper. Moved, That this House takes note of the report of the European Union Committee on The Future of Europe: The Convention's Draft Constitutional Treaty (41st Report, Session 2002–03, HL Paper 169).—(Lord Grenfell.)
Lord Grenfell: My Lords, I, too, very much look forward to the maiden speech of the noble and gallant Lord, Lord Boyce, and also to that of the right reverend Prelate the Bishop of Liverpool. Thus far, the debate has been largely on the subject of defence, but now I invite your Lordships to change the focus a little. We have before us a substantial report entitled The Future of Europe—the Convention's...
Lord Grenfell: My Lords, the noble Lord has hit the nail on the head. The balance of power is shifting to the Council, the sovereign representatives of the member states of the European Union. We were referring in particular to the strengthening of the role of the Council, through a reform of the six-monthly presidencies and the election of a Council president for a once-renewable two-and-a-half year term....
Lord Grenfell: My Lords, I think that the noble Baroness can rest assured that, as chairman of the European Union Committee, I am learning, albeit rather slowly, to accept all small mercies when it comes to finding time in the Chamber for a debate on our reports; I think that we currently have nine in the backlog. However, does she not agree that it is rather unfortunate that this particular report should...
Lord Grenfell: My Lords, the Statement that the noble Baroness was kind enough to repeat to us stated that the Government would work hard to achieve a successful outcome of the inter-governmental conference under the Italian presidency this year. That reflects the wording in the presidency conclusions, where the Council, "recalled its support for the approach and timetable put forward by the Presidency in...
Lord Grenfell: My Lords, I beg to move the Motion standing in my name on the Order Paper. Moved, That this House takes note of the report of the European Union Committee on The Future of Europe: Progress Report on the draft Constitutional Treaty and the IGC (35th Report, HL Paper 150).—(Lord Grenfell.)
Lord Grenfell: My Lords, it is a privilege to speak at such an early stage of a debate in which so many distinguished noble Lords are participating. I fully expect the debate to be in the best traditions of the House, with considerable expertise and independence of mind available and freely given. I look forward to hearing what noble Lords have to say about the draft constitutional treaty and the...
Lord Grenfell: I must advise the Committee that if Amendment No. 135BC is agreed to, I cannot call Amendments Nos. 135C or 135D.