Oral question asked in the House of Commons, by Keith Vaz (Labour). It was answered on Tuesday, 1 May 2007 on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

European Constitution

Question: Does the Foreign Secretary agree that what we need now is not the waving of letters by Angela Merkel, as the right hon. Member for Wells (Mr. Heathcoat-Amory) has done, but a sensible and practical discussion with our European colleagues? Given that the constitution has been defeated in the referendums so far, such a discussion will allow us to proceed with the reform agenda so that a Europe of 27 can be governed in an efficient and effective way.

Answer: My right hon. Friend is entirely right. He will recall, as will many Members of the House, that we are committed by existing treaties to, for example, reconsider the numbers in the European Commission now that Romania and Bulgaria have joined the European Union. People are bound to consider whether sensible improvements can be made to the way in which Europe works, of a kind that have been made on several occasions in the past without a referendum having been held.

Secondary information

Type: Oral question
Reference: 459 c1349-50
Session: 2006-07
Oral question type: Supplementary
Chamber / Committee: House of Commons chamber
Subjects: EU countries European Union European Constitution Treaty Referendums Reform Germany
Link: View this Oral question on www.publications.parliament.uk