Motion made, and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 119(11)),

European Semester

That this House takes note of European Union Documents No. 10522/14 and Addendum, draft Council Recommendation on the United Kingdom’s 2014 national reform programme and delivering a Council opinion on the United Kingdom’s 2014 convergence programme, No. 10679/14, a Commission Communication: 2014 European Semester: Country-specific recommendations: Building growth, No. 10459/14, a draft Council Recommendation on Belgium’s 2014 national reform programme and delivering a Council opinion on Belgium’s 2014 stability programme, No. 10462/14, a draft Council Recommendation on Bulgaria’s 2014 national reform programme and delivering a Council opinion on Bulgaria’s 2014 convergence programme, No. 10464/14, a draft Council Recommendation on the Czech Republic’s 2014 national reform programme and delivering a Council opinion on the Czech Republic’s 2014 convergence programme, No. 10466/14, a draft Council Recommendation on Denmark’s 2014 national reform programme and delivering a Council opinion on Denmark’s 2014 convergence programme, No. 10468/14, a draft Council Recommendation on Germany’s 2014 national reform programme and delivering a Council opinion on Germany’s 2014 stability programme, No. 10471/14, a draft Council Recommendation on Estonia’s 2014 national reform programme and delivering a Council opinion on Estonia’s 2014 stability programme, No. 10479/14, a draft Council Recommendation on Ireland’s 2014 national reform programme and delivering a Council opinion on Ireland’s 2014 stability programme, No. 10481/14, a draft Council Recommendation on Spain’s 2014 national reform programme and delivering a Council opinion on Spain’s 2014 stability programme, No. 10482/14, a draft Council Recommendation on France’s 2014 national reform programme and delivering a Council opinion on France’s 2014 stability programme, No. 10483/14, a draft Council Recommendation on Croatia’s 2014 national reform programme and delivering a Council opinion on Croatia’s 2014 convergence programme, No. 10484/14, a draft Council Recommendation on Italy’s 2014 national reform programme and delivering a Council opinion on Italy’s 2014 stability programme, No. 10487/14, a draft Council Recommendation on Latvia’s 2014 national reform programme and delivering a Council opinion on Latvia’s 2014 stability programme, No. 10489/14, a draft Council Recommendation on Lithuania’s 2014 national reform programme and delivering a Council opinion on Lithuania’s 2014 convergence programme, No. 10491/14, a draft Council Recommendation on Luxembourg’s 2014 national reform programme and delivering a Council opinion on Luxembourg’s 2014 stability programme, No. 10493/14, a draft Council Recommendation on Hungary’s 2014 national reform programme and delivering a Council opinion on Hungary’s 2014 convergence programme, No. 10497/14, a draft Council Decision abrogating Decision 2010/407/EU on the existence of an excessive deficit in Denmark, No. 10498/14, a draft Council Recommendation on Malta’s 2014 national reform programme and delivering a Council opinion on Malta’s 2014 stability programme, No. 10500/14, a draft Council Recommendation on the Netherlands’ 2014 national reform programme and delivering a Council opinion on the Netherlands’ 2014 stability programme, No. 10502/14, a draft Council Recommendation on Austria’s 2014 national reform programme and delivering a Council opinion on Austria’s 2014 stability programme, No. 10504/14, a draft Council Recommendation on Poland’s 2014 national reform programme and delivering a Council opinion on Poland’s 2014 convergence programme, No. 10505/14, a draft Council Recommendation on Portugal’s 2014 national reform programme and delivering a Council opinion on Portugal’s 2014 stability programme, No. 10510/14, a draft Council Recommendation on Romania’s 2014 national reform programme and delivering a Council opinion on Romania’s 2014 convergence programme, No. 10512/14, a draft Council Recommendation on Slovenia’s 2014 national reform programme and delivering a Council opinion on Slovenia’s 2014 stability programme, No. 10515/14, a draft Council Recommendation on Slovakia’s 2014 national reform programme and delivering a Council opinion on Slovakia’s 2014 stability programme, No. 10517/14, a draft Council Recommendation on Finland’s 2014 national reform programme and delivering a Council opinion on Finland’s 2014 stability programme, No. 10519/14, a draft Council Recommendation on Sweden’s 2014 national reform programme and delivering a Council opinion on Sweden’s 2014 convergence programme, No. 10524/14, a draft Council Recommendation on the implementation of the broad guidelines for the economic policies of the Member States whose currency is the euro, No. 7413/14, a Commission Communication: Results of in-depth reviews under Regulation (EU) No. 1176/2011 on the prevention and correction of macroeconomic imbalances, and an unnumbered Commission Occasional Paper: Macroeconomic imbalances: United Kingdom, 2014, No. 16171/13, a Commission Report: A single market for growth and jobs: an analysis of progress made and remaining obstacles in the Member States, No. 15808/13, a Commission Report: Alert Mechanism Report 2014, No. 15803/13, a Commission Communication: Annual Growth Survey 2014, and No. 16348/13, a Draft Joint Employment Report accompanying the Commission Communication on the Annual Growth Survey 2014; further notes that the documents support the priorities of this Government to encourage structural reform, reduce the deficit and invest in UK infrastructure, and that the Government’s long term economic plan is working and the economy is growing, but that the job is not yet done and the Government is seeking to create a more resilient economy which supports sustainable growth; further notes that Help to Buy is having the desired effect of supporting first time buyers across the country to purchase a home; further notes that housing policy is a matter for Member States and not the Commission; and rejects the Commission’s proposal on council tax revaluation in the UK Country Specific Recommendation, which could raise council tax bills for hard pressed families.—(Harriet Baldwin.)

The Deputy Speaker’s opinion as to the decision of the Question being challenged, the Division was deferred until Wednesday 18 May (Standing Order No. 41A).