Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy written statement – made at on 14 November 2017.
Margot James
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy)
A meeting of the General Affairs Council (Cohesion) will be held in Brussels on 15 November 2017. The UK will be represented by Rory O’Donnell (Counsellor for Regions, Agriculture and Fisheries) from the UK Permanent Representation to the European Union.
The General Affairs Council is expected to focus on the modification of the Common Provisions Regulation; followed by an exchange of views based on the 7th Report on Economic, Social and Territorial Cohesion.
Modification of the Commons Provisions Regulation
The Estonian Presidency will provide an update on proposed changes to the Common Provisions Regulation (the overarching EU regulation which governs the European Structural and Investment Funds). These are expected to be in place before our withdrawal from the EU and were proposed by the Commission as part of the Mid-Term Review of the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) in order to simplify and harmonise existing regulations.
7th Report on Economic, Social and Territorial Cohesion
The Council will discuss conclusions from the cohesion report, which assesses the EU’s Cohesion Policy in recent years and recognises the need for greater visibility in its implementation. It calls for further simplification and flexibility in the period beyond 2020. A discussion between Member States on the themes raised in the report is expected.
The house of Lords is the upper chamber of the Houses of Parliament. It is filled with Lords (I.E. Lords, Dukes, Baron/esses, Earls, Marquis/esses, Viscounts, Count/esses, etc.) The Lords consider proposals from the EU or from the commons. They can then reject a bill, accept it, or make amendments. If a bill is rejected, the commons can send it back to the lords for re-discussion. The Lords cannot stop a bill for longer than one parliamentary session. If a bill is accepted, it is forwarded to the Queen, who will then sign it and make it law. If a bill is amended, the amended bill is sent back to the House of Commons for discussion.
The Lords are not elected; they are appointed. Lords can take a "whip", that is to say, they can choose a party to represent. Currently, most Peers are Conservative.
