Written question asked by Lord Brady of Altrincham (Conservative) on Monday, 8 November 2004, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 16 November 2004. It was answered by Denis MacShane (Labour) on Tuesday, 16 November 2004 on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether equal status will be awarded to the (a) UK Parliament, (b) Scottish Parliament and (c) National Assembly for Wales in the consultation process for proposed legislation stipulated in the EU constitution.

Answer: Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether equal status will be awarded to the (a) UK Parliament, (b) Scottish Parliament and (c) National Assembly for Wales in the consultation process for proposed legislation stipulated in the EU constitution. [197484] Mr. MacShane: The Protocol on the Role of National Parliaments in the European Union and the Protocol on the Application of the Principles of Subsidiarity and Proportionality provide for the transmission of draft European legislative Acts to national Parliaments--in our case, the United Kingdom Parliament. Article 6 of the Protocol on subsidiarity and proportionality, which provides reasoned opinions to be submitted on compliance with the principle of subsidiarity, also states that "it will be for each national Parliament or each chamber of a national Parliament to consult, where appropriate, regional parliaments with legislative powers".

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 426 c1333W;426 c1337W; 197484
Session: 2003-04
Subjects: Constitutions European Union Legislatures European Constitution Treaty EU action Treaties Subsidiarity
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk