Oral Answers to Questions

Baroness McIntosh of Pickering Excerpts

Tuesday 3rd December 2013 Commons Chamber

[Chris Heaton-Harris (Daventry) (Con)]

1. What assessment he has made of the recent decision by the European Parliament to meet in a single location.

[Miss Anne McIntosh (Thirsk and Malton) (Con)]

14. What assessment he has made of the recent decision by the European Parliament to meet in a single location.

[The Minister for Europe (Mr David Lidington)]

We have been clear that there should be a single seat for the European Parliament. The current arrangements are indefensible, ludicrously expensive, impractical and one of the most striking illustrations of EU waste.

[Mr Lidington]

I am afraid that I am not surprised, because that party’s representatives are often absent in key votes in the European Parliament when significant British interests are at stake. I congratulate those Members of the European Parliament, from all political families, who supported the initiative that our colleague, Ashley Fox, led and co-ordinated.

[Miss McIntosh]

The decision on a single seat was taken under a Conservative Government and in relation to an EU treaty, so presumably it will have to be amended by an EU treaty. Which other member states support us, and should we not wait until the Chamber is ready to host the European Parliament again in full session in Brussels before proceeding?

[Mr Lidington]

What was striking about the debate and the vote a few days ago was that the clearly expressed will of a decisive majority of Members of the European Parliament was that there should be a single seat, and it seems to me that their voice should be heard clearly. The Parliament has also said that it wishes to initiate proposals for treaty change at a future opportunity to try to give effect to the change it is now recommending.