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The Select Committee on European Legislation is appointed under
Standing Order No.127, viz:
Select Committee on European Legislation
127.--(1) There shall be a select committee, to be called the Select Committee on European
Legislation, to examine European Community Documents and--
(a) to report its opinion on the legal and political importance of each such document
and, where it considers appropriate, to report also on the reasons for its opinion and on any
matters of principle, policy or law which may be affected;
(b) to make recommendations for the further consideration of any such document
pursuant to Standing Order No.102 (European Standing Committees); and
(c) to consider any issue arising upon any such document or group of documents.
The expression "European Community Documents" means--
(i) any proposal under the Community treaties for legislation by the Council of
Ministers;
(ii) any document which is published for submission to the European
Council or the Council of Ministers;
(iii) any document (not falling within (ii) above) which is published
by one Community institution for or with a view to submission to another Community institution and
which does not relate eclusively to consideration of any propoal for legislation;
(ivi) any document relating to European Community matters deposited in
the House by a Minister of the Crown.
(2) The committee shall consist of sixteen members.
(3) The committee and any sub-committee appointed by it shall have the assistance of the
Counsel to the Speaker.
(2) The committee shall have the power to appoint specialist advisers for the purpose of
particular enquiries, either to supply information which is not readily available or to elucidate
matters of complexity within the committee's order of reference.
(5) The committee shall have power to send for persons, papers and records; to sit
notwithstanding any adjournment of the House; to adjourn from place to place; and to report from
time to time.
(6) The quorum of the committee shall be five.
(7) The committee shall have power to appoint sub-committees and to refer to such
sub-committees any of the matters referred to the committee.
(8) Every such sub-committee shall have power to send for persons, papers and records; to sit
notwithstanding any adjournment of the House; to adjourn from place to place; and to report to the
committee from time to time.
(9) The committee shall have power to report from time to time the minutes of evidence taken
before such sub-committees.
(10) The quorum of every such sub-committee shall be two.
(11) The committee or any sub-committee appointed by it shall have leave to confer and to meet
concurrently with any committee of the Lords on the European Communities or any sub-committee of
that committee for the purpose of deliberating and of examining witnesses.
(12) Unless the House otherwise orders, each member nominated to the committee shall continue
to be a member of it for the remainder of the Parliament.
Friday 5 June 1992
The following were nominated as members of the Select Committee on European Legislation:
Mr Harry Barnes
Mr William Cash
Mr Hugh Dykes
Mr Derek Enright
Mrs Margaret Ewing
Dr Norman A Godman
Mr David Harris
Mr Alan Haselhurst |
Mr Robert Hicks
Mr Jimmy Hood
Mr David Knox
Mrs Jacqui Lait
Mr David Madel
Mr Nigel Spearing
Mr Tony Marlow
Mr Jimmy Wray
|
Subsequent changes in the membership have been:
Friday 12 June 1992: Mrs Jacqui Lait discharged Mr Hartley Booth appointed.
Friday 30 October 1992: Mr Jimmy Wray discharged Mr Jimmy Boyce appointed.
Friday 4 December 1992: Mr Hartley Booth discharged Mr Peter Atkinson appointed.
Tuesday 25 January 1994: Mr Jimmy Boyce died.
Thursday 17 February 1994: Mr Kevin Hughes appointed.
Friday 13 January 1995: Dr Norman A Godman discharged Ms Rachel Squire appointed.
Tuesday 31 October 1995: Mr Derek Enright died.
Tuesday 28 November 1995: Mr George Stevenson appointed.
Monday 11 November 1996: Mr Kevin Hughes discharged Mr John McAllion appointed.
Mr Jimmy Hood was elected Chairman, 17 June 1992.
Resolution of the House of 24 October 1990[1]
Resolved, That, in the opinion of this House:--
(1) No Minister of the Crown should give agreement in the Council of Ministers to
any proposal for European Community legislation--
(a)which is still subject to scrutiny (that is, on which the Select Committee on European
Legislation has not completed its scrutiny) or
(b)which is awaiting consideration by the House (that is, which has been recommended by the
Select Committee for consideration pursuant to Standing Order No.102 (European Standing Committees)
but in respect of which the House has not come to a Resolution, either on a Resolution reported by
a European Standing Committee or otherwise).
(2) In this Resolution, any reference to agreement to a proposal includes, in the
case of a proposal on which the Council acts in co-operation with the European Parliament, agreement
to a common position.
(3) The Minister concerned may, however, give agreement:-
(a)to a proposal which is still subject to scrutiny if he considers that it is confidential,
routine or trivial or is substantially the same as a proposal on which scrutiny has been completed;
(b)to a proposal which is awaiting consideration by the House if the Select Committee has
indicated that agreement need not be withheld pending consideration.
(4) The Minister concerned may also give agreement to a proposal which is still
subject to scrutiny or awaiting consideration by the House if he decides that for special reasons
agreement should be given; but he should explain his reasons--
(i)in every such case, to the Select Committee at the first opportunity after
reaching his decision; and
(ii)in the case of a proposal awaiting consideration by the House, to the House at the first
opportunity after giving agreement.
(5) In relation to any proposal which requires adoption by unanimity, abstention
shall, for the purposes of paragraph (4), be treated as giving agreement.
1.C.J., 1989-90, p.646. Back
