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9.41 pm
The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Ms Joyce Quin): This is the first debate of this kind that I have taken part in since becoming a Minister in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. However, I count myself as a veteran--perhaps happily, perhaps unhappily--of these debates, having taken part in many while in opposition, from the Back Benches and the Front Bench. One common aspect of the debates--not surprisingly, given the many issues with a European dimension--is that they are always wide ranging.
I begin with an apology on behalf of my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary who is not able to be in his place for the winding-up speeches because he has left to attend the British-French summit at St. Malo, which I shall also attend later. At that summit, many of the issues that have exercised hon. Members on both sides of the House today will be raised.
Many of the speeches in the debate contained effective calls for an informed debate on European issues and I echo those calls. Many of my hon. Friends, especially my hon. Friends the Members for Dunfermline, West (Ms Squire) and for Nottingham, South (Mr. Simpson), made the point about accurate information very tellingly. I join with those who have deplored the hysteria that has disfigured the debate about Europe, especially in the past few weeks, with irresponsible scare stories that alarm people unnecessarily. That does not do the people or democracy a service.
We want a debate in which people have access to information and we have a duty, which we take seriously, through our parliamentary proceedings to try to have as much discussion as possible on the issues. The speech by the right hon. and learned Member for Folkestone and Hythe (Mr. Howard) fuelled many of the scare stories, instead of considering them realistically and damping them down. I was surprised, if not astonished, when the right hon. and learned Gentleman was revealed as an arch-federalist of yesteryear in the extraordinary quotation from the magazine Crossbow in which he called for a united European defence policy. That was fascinating, and I have now been given the article so I will be able to read it from beginning to end.
One purpose of our debate is to review developments as we prepare for the European summit in Vienna. I hope that hon. Members will find it useful if I outline some of the topics that are likely to be raised on which we hope to make progress. A principal issue is Agenda 2000, on which the hon. Member for Vale of York (Miss McIntosh) spoke in detail and about which she asked me many detailed questions. I am happy to respond to some of those questions, but if I answered them all, I could deal only with her speech, and not with those of other hon. Members. Even then, I probably would not have enough time. I am happy to write to the hon. Lady if she feels that I have not dealt with any of her questions.
Some of the issues that the hon. Lady raised can, as she will know, be more appropriately dealt with by ministerial colleagues who attend specialist councils. One of the
down sides of being Minister for Europe is that I tend to be asked about every policy under the sun from wide-ranging issues about the future of Europe to the marketing of aubergines in the French Antilles. It is sometimes something of a challenge to answer all those points.
Agenda 2000 is an important package of issues that the EU must confront if it is to move the process of enlargement forward. The issues involved include the budget, agriculture and the structural funds. Much common ground has been established, particularly on structural funds and on the problems that should be addressed by objective 1, objective 2 and so on funding. None the less, a lot of work remains to be done, both on future EU financing and on common agricultural policy reform. Many comments have been made about the new German Government, but no one has said that that Government, much more than their predecessor, share our ideas on CAP reform. We hope to make important progress on that reform through the Agenda 2000 proposals.
As my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary pointed out, although the Commission's proposals on agriculture do not go as far as we would like, they would reduce support prices for a variety of products and would mean real gains for our consumers. My right hon. Friend quoted revealing figures on that. We believe that the Commission's proposals would allow us to work with like-minded Governments to increase pressure to make such reforms even better in future.
Many hon. Members have referred to the timetable of the Agenda 2000 negotiations. I agree that it is important to respect that timetable, particularly if we are to make a success of early enlargement. The hon. Member for Vale of York spoke of the European Parliament's deliberations on the timetable. There is some concern that the Parliament may not meet the deadline, as well as concern that the Council of Ministers might not. I urge the hon. Lady to try to pressure her colleagues in the European Parliament. If agreement is not reached in the present Parliament, we risk considerable delay because of the coming elections and the subsequent need for the Parliament to appoint new officers and set up new committees and procedures.
The hon. Lady expressed concern about the future of structural funds in her own part of the country, and she will know that delay to the timetable, with resulting delays in budgetary decisions, could affect structural fund allocations to areas in which many hon. Members on both sides of the House have an interest. Self interest gives us a strong reason to respect the timetable.
Many hon. Members referred to the importance of enlargement and I certainly strongly endorse those comments. However, I must point out to those on the Opposition Front Bench that, far from any weakening of our commitment, we are as firm a supporter of enlargement as ever. We were proud to support and launch the enlargement process during our presidency.
The hon. Member for Somerton and Frome (Mr. Heath) urged us to be inclusive in our approach, and we most certainly are. We believe that the countries involved need
to be treated on their merits. Some of them have made dramatic progress, as has been pointed out, and that must be fully recognised.
Mr. Letwin:
In that case, will the Minister confirm--as one of her colleagues, the Financial Secretary, did not do so in the European Standing Committee--that the Government will oppose the Commission's proposal that countries should have to enter both stage 1 and stage 2 of European monetary union before they can accede?
Ms Quin:
Those are issues to be discussed with the applicant countries. I will certainly not lay down rules in advance of the accession negotiations. Indeed, I know from speaking to Ministers in the applicant countries that different countries view those issues differently.
We need to ensure that the European Union is in a good position to welcome those new countries. I think that it was my hon. Friend the Member for Wimbledon (Mr. Casale) who strongly argued that, although we are understandably asking applicants to accept many of the rules and arrangements that exist within the EU, at the same time we have a responsibility to organise ourselves to become more enlargement friendly.
One aspect of Agenda 2000 and the Commission's proposals that greatly concerns me and on which we are arguing against the Commission line, is that farmers in the new member countries should receive much less favourable compensation than those within existing EU countries. We have argued for compensation to existing farmers to be reduced progressively, so that we do not create such a two-tier system, which would unfairly discriminate against applicant countries.
Despite some of the claims made tonight about our rolling over and agreeing with everything that is put forward in Europe, I can assure the hon. Member for West Dorset (Mr. Letwin) and his hon. Friends that that is simply not the case. We are putting forward strong and distinctive views on many of the issues in the Agenda 2000 timetable. In no way are we simply sitting back and accepting what others propose.
If enlargement is to be inclusive, it also means that it should not create new boundaries further east. Referring to a point made by the hon. Member for Somerton and Frome, the European Union has a clear responsibility to look outwards. There are debates within the EU, and there are protectionist and anti-protectionist forces. We want to ensure that the EU operates openly, so that it helps the economic reform and progress that is being made in countries further east, as well as helping developing countries in the world market, particularly in the agricultural sector.
Mr. Flight:
Is there any support from our fellow members of the EU for the position that the right hon. Lady has described on Agenda 2000 and enlargement?
Ms Quin:
Yes, indeed. The pattern is mixed on the issues that I described, but a variety of members support our position and we have received support from the Commission itself on many of the agricultural issues. I do not feel at all defeatist as regards the issues that we are discussing, nor do I recognise the description of Britain's position or of Ministers' meetings that has been offered by some Members, in particular those on the Opposition
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