Examination of Witnesses (Questions 240-243)
15 SEPTEMBER 2004
MR ROGER
SANDS AND
MR LIAM
LAURENCE SMYTH
Q240 Sir Nicholas Winterton: You think
it would destroy the valuable role that staff do play at the moment?
Mr Sands: I think there would
be a risk of that. I think there would also be a risk that proceedings
would become much more formalised, that the meetings might be
longer, and because Members might feel they were being held to
account for decisions not to identify a document as important
politically or legally, we might end up with more recommendations
for further consideration, whereas I think on the whole it would
probably benefit our scrutiny system and the engagement of Members
in it downstream if there were fewer such recommendations.
Q241 Mr Kidney: I think this is a political
judgment. Personally I would disagree with you and we will have
to have those debates. The other question is you give us an illustrative
timetable for operating the subsidiarity early warning system
where you run to seven weeks and we have only got six weeks to
give the reasoned objection in. Where would something have to
give to get to six weeks?
Mr Sands: I think I say somewhere
in my paper that I cannot see how the six weeks will ever work
unless the House is prepared to give the European Scrutiny Committee
the authority to operate the subsidiarity mechanism on the House's
behalf, which would be a big step.
Mr Laurence Smyth: I think I have
cheated, Chairman, by doing 42 days. Assuming the Commission publishes
its proposals on a Thursday or Friday and the result of the deferred
division comes out on a Wednesday, although it does go from week
one to week seven I think I was still within 42 days within that
timetable.
Mr Kidney: That is very clear, thank
you.
Q242 Sir Nicholas Winterton: Is there
anything that either Roger Sands or Liam Laurence Smyth would
like to say to us? I apologise that we are now down to a bare
quorum and I will not risk going on longer and having to declare
the meeting at an end because we are inquorate. Roger?
Mr Sands: I have got nothing to
add.
Q243 Sir Nicholas Winterton: If there
are any other matters to which we might at a later stage—
Mr Sands: —The paper is
very comprehensive.
Sir Nicholas Winterton: It is but if
we need to come back to you and ask specific questions in writing
you will be happy to let us have them and the same with you Liam?
Can I therefore on behalf of the Modernisation Committee thank
Roger Sands and Liam Laurence Smyth for the extremely important
evidence that they have been able to give.
Mr Kidney: Including the time of the
next General Election which was very helpful!
Sir Nicholas Winterton: You always seek
to get in the last word! Thank you.
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