Submission from Mr Colin Challen MP
SCRUTINY OF EUROPEAN MATTERS IN THE HOUSE
OF COMMONS
Thank you for your recent letter about the above.
I would like to see select committees have a greater role. They
should be able to probe proposed European directives and initiatives,
be automatically informed of things relevant to their committees,
and be staffed with the necessary number of clerks or researchers
to do a proper job of scrutiny. This is a matter for the whole
of parliament, not just one committee. I wonder how many members
plough through minutes of the European Scrutiny Committee? By
the time they do, it is of course too late. A year or two ago,
I asked to be put on a mailing list to receive all their reports.
I was told this was not possible. You have to request each report
when it comes out. This is hardly conducive to good scrutiny.
I hope the Modernisation Committee will look at ways in which
European Scrutiny can be made easier, even at this rather mundane
level.
April 2004
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