Select Committee on European Scrutiny Minutes of Evidence


Letter dated 27 March 2007 from Mr Gareth Thomas MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for International Development

EU AND AFRICA: SCRUTINY

  I promised to write after the session on 7 March 2007 about scrutiny of the EU Africa process and specifically about the review of progress against the EU and Africa: Towards a Strategic Partnership. The Committee queried why Geoff Hoon, Europe Minister as opposed to a DFID minister, had written attaching the Progress Report in January 2007; argued that there had not been adequate explanation of the Government's views in that letter, and queried why the Government had not written to the Committee before the European Council in December.

  First let me apologise for not providing the Committee with the information expected prior to the European Council. Our intention was certainly to engage vigorously with Parliament on issues relating to the EU and Africa. While we set out our views on the Commission and Council Secretariat's own progress report during the Lords debate on November 30 2006, following the Lords inquiry and follow up report, we did not write to the Commons Committee on the issue before the Council and for this I apologise.

  Geoff Hoon wrote to the Committees after the December Council attaching the final public document—The EU and Africa: Towards a Strategic Partnership—The Way Forward and Key Achievements in 2006.  This document included Member State inputs collected during October and November by the Commission. Follow up to the EU's Strategy for Africa is led jointly by my Department and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office because the Strategy includes political, security and development aspects. Most correspondence to Parliament on this topic has issued jointly from the International Development Secretary and Lord Triesman as Africa Minister, to reflect this and the close working relationship across Whitehall on this set of policies. The January letter issued from the Europe Minister because it conveyed the outcome of the December European Council. The letter was written with full knowledge and input from DFID officials. In future we will aim to send updates under joint signatures wherever possible on correspondence to Parliament pertaining to the EU Africa Strategy.

  I would like to clarify expectations on scrutiny of the EU Africa Strategy during 2007.  I propose that the Government write to the Committees once the Commission and Council Secretariat have published their expected joint review of progress. The Government will then forward the finally agreed review of progress after the relevant Council. In respect of the proposed Joint EU Africa Strategy to be approved at an EU Africa Summit, and scrutiny of any such document, we hope to be able to forward an outline of the Strategy once this has been agreed with the African Union later this year. We will keep the Committees informed of progress.

  Finally, I promised to provide further information on the 2006 Review, which I enclose below.

  I hope this letter satisfactorily responds to your concerns.


 
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