Friday 1 February 2008

EUROPEAN SCRUTINY (STANDING ORDERS)

That the following amendments to the Standing Orders shall have effect for the remainder of the current Parliament—

(A) Amendments to Standing Order No 119 (European Standing Committees)

Line 2, leave out 'European Standing Committees' and insert 'European Committees'

Line 13, leave out paragraph (3) and insert
'(3) Each European Committee shall consist of thirteen Members nominated by the Committee of Selection in respect of any European Union document which stands referred to it, and the Committee of Selection may nominate the same membership in respect of several documents.

(3A) In nominating the members of a European Committee, the Committee of Selection shall have regard to the qualifications of the Members nominated and to the composition of the House; and where practicable it shall nominate at least two members of the European Scrutiny Committee and at least two members of the select committee appointed under Standing Order No. 152 whose responsibilities most closely relate to the subject matter of the document or documents.'

Line 30: leave out from 'below' to end of paragraph (5).

Line 41, insert new paragraph as follows:
'(6A) The chairman may permit a member of the European Scrutiny Committee appointed to the committee under paragraph (3A) above to make a brief statement of no more than five minutes, at the beginning of the sitting, explaining that Committee's decision to refer the document or documents to a European Committee.'

(B) Amendments to nomenclature in the Standing Orders
 
Leave out 'European Standing Committees' in all other places where they occur in the Standing Orders and insert 'European Committees'.
 

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM ON MOTION STANDING ON THE ORDER PAPER IN THE NAME OF THE LEADER OF THE HOUSE RELATING TO EUROPEAN SCRUTINY REFORM

The motion in the name of the Leader of the House of Commons on European Scrutiny Reform is a part of a set of proposals which the Government is bringing forward to improve the scrutiny of European Union business in the House. The proposals reflect discussion in the House arising from the report of the Modernisation Committee in March 2005 (HC Paper 465 of session 2004-05) Scrutiny of European Business and subsequent consultations.

Standing Order changes
The Motion itself would give effect to those changes which require changes to the Standing Orders.

Paragraph (B) of the Motion is in line with the recommendation of the Modernisation Committee in its First Report of Session 2005-06 The Legislative Process (HC Paper 1097) that the term 'standing committee' should no longer be used, since this was confusing and anachronistic. The European Standing Committees A, B and C established under Standing Order No 119 would accordingly be renamed 'European Committees' A, B and C.

Paragraph (A) of the Motion provides for changes to the composition and proceedings of European Committees. Under the Motion, documents would continue to be referred to each of the three committees by the European Scrutiny Committee, as now, and a specific membership would be appointed for each meeting according to the document or documents referred. This would allow the Committee of Selection to operate criteria for selecting Members which permit a greater degree of subject specialism than is currently the case. In particular, the Committee of Selection would be enjoined to appoint, so far as possible:
• at least two members of the European Scrutiny Committee; and
• at least two members of the relevant departmental select committee.

In addition, to improve further the links between the European Scrutiny Committee and the European Committees, a member of the European Scrutiny Committee would be able to make a brief statement at the beginning of the sitting, limited to explaining the Scrutiny Committee's reasons for referring the document. This was one of the Modernisation Committee's recommendations in 2005.

It is proposed at this stage that the changes be experimental until the end of the current Parliament.

Other changes
As indicated above, the Standing Order changes are to be seen in the context of other changes to be introduced. These are:
• earlier notification to the Scrutiny Committee of significant consultation exercises: the Government accepts the recommendation of the Modernisation Committee of 2005 that the European Scrutiny Committee should be alerted at an early stage of consultation exercises on important EU proposals in which the Government is involved
• more effective access to EU documents: arrangements are being discussed with the Vote Office to enable Members to indicate particular subject areas on which they could opt to receive relevant EU documentation
• improved information in the Order Paper: it is proposed, with Mr Speaker's approval, that the forthcoming business to be taken at each of the European Committees would be listed in the 'Future Business' section of the House's daily Order Paper
• style of questioning on Ministerial statements in European Committees: following consultation with the Chairman of Ways and Means and the Chairmen's Panel, and in order to make the questioning of Ministers in European Committees more effective, it is envisaged that the questioning should generally be conducted in a select committee style (i.e. with a single Member called by the chairman to ask a series of related questions, before moving on to another Member, and coming back to earlier Members—so far as time permits—to ask further questions on a different theme).

Written Ministerial Statement

Press Notice