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European Union (Amendment) Bill

I am sorry that the noble Lord, Lord Lee of Trafford, felt that I had taken a negative line. I thank the Minister for his full response and I agree that we had a useful debate on defence issues last week. I am not totally reassured by his assurances. We are concerned that the details of how the provision will work will be decided only after the treaty’s ratification. We do not believe that it will help to expand European military capabilities and we worry that it will undermine NATO’s attempts at improving its future military capabilities. We think that the Government were quite wrong to have accepted this provision. However, this was a probing amendment and I therefore beg leave to withdraw it. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.