---

Treaty of Lisbon (No. 6)

I know of my hon. Friend's long interest in European matters, but I fear that she labours under a misapprehension in suggesting that significant development policy powers are being handed over as a consequence of the Lisbon treaty. It has been established for many years that the European Union and, in the case that we are considering, the United Kingdom Government have a role to play in development assistance. Rather than perceiving EU development policies as a barrier to achieving the UK's objectives in development, we should view them as a mechanism whereby our objectives can be advanced.