Question to the Leader of the House:

To ask the Leader of the House, when he expects the House to consider arrangements for establishing the UK delegation to the European Parliamentary Partnership Assembly.

Good progress is being made on establishing the European Parliamentary Partnership Assembly and we expect the House to consider arrangements later this year. The House of Commons Finance Committee has endorsed funding arrangements to support the UK delegation, should the House agree to establish one. The next stage is for the Commission to make a decision on those arrangements. The House of Lords Commission is expected to consider the same proposals in November. The House of Commons will then be asked to agree to the establishment of the Assembly and the participation of 35 members as a delegation from the UK Parliament. Members of the delegation will be announced in the usual way through a Written Ministerial Statement, after consultation with political parties.