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Inter-Parliamentary Scrutiny (EU Foreign, Defence and Security Policy)

I just took the view that a free vote was not appropriate. It was a simple subjective judgment; it was as straightforward as that. The key objective of the report and of the motion before the House today is to ensure that the WEU Assembly has a successor. We want scrutiny of intergovernmental activity to continue with national Parliaments in the lead. I say to the House, however, that if national Parliaments do not get their act together, there is a risk that inter-parliamentary scrutiny will wither and that the European Parliament will, by default, take over the main role in this field. There is therefore a responsibility on national Parliaments in this respect.