Formal Minutes
Wednesday 9 December 2015
Members present:
Sir William Cash, in the Chair
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Geraint Davies Richard Drax Peter Grant Damian Green Kate Hoey Kelvin Hopkins |
Mr Jacob Rees-Mogg Alec Shelbrooke Kelly Tolhurst Mr Andrew Turner Heather Wheeler |
Draft Report (UK Government’s Renegotiation of EU Membership: Parliamentary Sovereignty and Scrutiny), proposed by the Chair, brought up and read.
Ordered, That the draft Report be read a second time, paragraph by paragraph.
Summary paragraphs 1 and 2 read and agreed to.
Summary paragraph 3 brought up and read as follows:
Under Standing Orders, much of our work involves evaluating EU proposals for legal and political importance. In a similar way, we have assessed each of the Government’s four areas of renegotiation against its own criteria. We conclude that the negotiation priorities as set out by the Prime Minister will not deliver the legally binding and irreversible agreement leading to reform of the EU nor a fundamental change in the UK’s relationship with it envisaged by him.
Amendment proposed, to leave out from “criteria” to the end of the paragraph.—(Damian Green.)
The Committee divided.
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Ayes, 2 Geraint Davies Damian Green |
Noes, 9 Richard Drax Peter Grant Kate Hoey Kelvin Hopkins Mr Jacob Rees-Mogg Alec Shelbrooke Kelly Tolhurst Mr Andrew Turner Heather Wheeler |
Question accordingly negatived.
Paragraph agreed to.
Summary paragraph 4 read and agreed to.
Summary paragraph 5 brought up and read, as follows:
Of the four areas under discussion, the most substantial is the relationship between the Eurozone and the non-Eurozone countries, including the UK. Indeed, it is so important that it absolutely requires the security of Treaty amendment to address it.
Amendment proposed, to leave out from “UK” to the end of the paragraph.—(Damian Green.)
The Committee divided.
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Ayes, 3 Geraint Davies Damian Green Kelly Tolhurst |
Noes, 8 Richard Drax Peter Grant Kate Hoey Kelvin Hopkins Mr Jacob Rees-Mogg Alec Shelbrooke Mr Andrew Turner Heather Wheeler |
Question accordingly negatived.
Paragraph agreed to.
Summary paragraph 6 brought up and read, as follows:
We do not believe that the goals in the area of competitiveness would either reform the EU or fundamentally change the UK’s relationship with it as they are already being addressed. Delivery of the goals is so dependent on the support of a variety of institutions that any commitment by the Member States alone could not be legally binding or irreversible.
An Amendment made.
Another Amendment proposed, to leave out from “addressed” to the end of the paragraph.—(Damian Green.)
The Committee divided.
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Ayes, 1 Damian Green |
Noes, 10 Geraint Davies Peter Grant Kate Hoey Kelvin Hopkins Mr Jacob Rees-Mogg Alec Shelbrooke Kelly Tolhurst Mr Andrew Turner Heather Wheeler |
Question accordingly negatived.
Paragraph, as amended, agreed to.
Summary paragraph 7 brought up and read as follows:
We disagree with the Government’s contention that the concept of ever closer union is legally significant. Nonetheless, UK disengagement from the concept could be politically significant as it could be used to advocate further opt-outs in future Treaty negotiations or to resist integrationist initiatives. To be robust, such disengagement would require Treaty amendment.
An Amendment made.
Another Amendment proposed, to leave out from “initiatives” to the end of the paragraph.—(Damian Green.)
The Committee divided.
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Ayes, 4 Geraint Davies Peter Grant Damian Green Kelly Tolhurst |
Noes, 7 Richard Drax Kate Hoey Kelvin Hopkins Mr Jacob Rees-Mogg Alec Shelbrooke Mr Andrew Turner Heather Wheeler |
Question accordingly negatived.
Paragraph, as amended, agreed to.
Summary paragraph 8 brought up and read, as follows:
We found little evidence to suggest that the proposals to reduce net migration into the UK from the EU will have a large scale effect on immigration numbers. Treaty amendment may not be required to deliver these objectives. Limited though the proposed changes are, the political and legal challenges of negotiating them — without affecting the rights of UK citizens — are nevertheless formidable.
An Amendment made.
Another Amendment proposed, to leave out the words “limited though the proposed changes are”.—(Damian Green.)
The Committee divided.
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Ayes, 3 Geraint Davies Damian Green Alec Shelbrooke |
Noes, 8 Richard Drax Peter Grant Kate Hoey Kelvin Hopkins Mr Jacob Rees-Mogg Kelly Tolhurst Mr Andrew Turner Heather Wheeler |
Question accordingly negatived.
Paragraph, as amended, agreed to.
Paragraph—(The Chair)—brought up and read the first and second time and inserted (now summary paragraph 9).
Paragraph 1read and agreed to.
Paragraph 2 read, amended and agreed to.
Paragraph 3 read and agreed to.
Paragraph 4 and 5 read, amended and agreed to.
Paragraph 6 read and agreed to.
Paragraph 7 read, amended and agreed to.
Paragraphs 8 to 14 read and agreed to.
Paragraph 15 read, amended and agreed to.
Paragraph 16 read and agreed to.
Paragraphs 17 to 19 read, amended and agreed to.
Paragraphs 20 to 21 read and agreed to.
Paragraph 22 read, amended and agreed to.
Paragraph 23 brought up and read.
Amendment proposed, to leave out from “Council” to the end of the paragraph.—(Damian Green.)
The Committee divided.
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Ayes, 1 Damian Green |
Noes, 8 Richard Drax Peter Grant Kate Hoey Kelvin Hopkins Mr Jacob Rees-Mogg Alec Shelbrooke Mr Andrew Turner Heather Wheeler |
Question accordingly negatived.
Paragraph agreed to.
Paragaphs 24 and 25 read and agreed to.
Paragraph 26 brought up and read, as follows:
Any provision in the Referendum Bill concerning information to be provided using Government resources should include a requirement to comply with any guidance issued by the Electoral Commission to ensure both the adequacy and the impartiality of such information. It should not extend to the provision of the Government’s opinion which will no doubt be conveyed in a number of other ways.
Paragraph disagreed to.
Paragraph (now paragraph 26)—(The Chair)—brought up, read the first and second time, and inserted.
Paragraphs 27 and 28 read and agreed to.
Paragraph (now paragraph 29)—(The Chair)—brought up, read the first and second time, and inserted.
Paragraphs 29 to 42 (now paragraphs 30 to 43) read and agreed to.
Paragraph 43 (now paragraph 44) read, amended and agreed to.
Paragraphs 44 to 48 (now paragraphs 45 to 49) read and agreed to.
Paragraph 49 (now paragraph 50) brought up and read.
Amendment proposed, to leave out from “law” to the end of the paragraph.—(Damian Green.)
The Committee divided.
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Ayes, 2 Damian Green Alec Shelbrooke |
Noes, 7 Richard Drax Peter Grant Kate Hoey Kelvin Hopkins Mr Jacob Rees-Mogg Mr Andrew Turner Heather Wheeler |
Question accordingly negatived.
Paragraph agreed to.
Paragraph 50 (now paragraph 51) brought up and read.
Amendment proposed, to leave out from “referendum.” to the end of the paragraph.—(Damian Green.)
The Committee divided.
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Ayes, 1 Damian Green |
Noes, 7 Richard Drax Peter Grant Kate Hoey Kelvin Hopkins Mr Jacob Rees-Mogg Mr Andrew Turner Heather Wheeler |
Question accordingly negatived.
Paragraph agreed to.
Paragraphs 51 to 55 (now paragraphs 52 to 56) read and agreed to.
Paragraph 56 (now paragraph 57) read, amended and agreed to.
Paragraphs 57 to 65 (now paragraphs 58 to 66) read and agreed to.
Paragraph 66 (now paragraph 67) read, amended and agreed to.
Paragraphs 67 to 71 (now paragraphs 68 to 72) read and agreed to.
Paragraph (now paragraph 73)—(The Chair)—brought up, read the first and second time, and inserted.
Paragraph 72 (now paragraph 74) brought up and read.
Amendment proposed, to leave out from “such” to the end of the paragraph and insert “great importance in these negotiations that the Government must be able to show a binding commitment from other Member States to a fair solution for non-Euro members”.—(Damian Green.)
The Committee divided.
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Ayes, 2 Peter Grant Damian Green |
Noes, 7 Richard Drax Kate Hoey Kelvin Hopkins Mr Jacob Rees-Mogg Alec Shelbrooke Mr Andrew Turner Heather Wheeler |
Question accordingly negatived.
Paragraph agreed to.
Motion made, and Question put, That Paragraph 73 (now paragraph 75) stand part of the Report.
The Committee divided:
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Ayes, 2 Peter Grant Damian Green |
Noes, 6 Richard Drax Kate Hoey Kelvin Hopkins Mr Jacob Rees-Mogg Mr Andrew Turner Heather Wheeler |
Question accordingly negatived.
Paragraph agreed to.
Paragraph 74 (now paragraph 76) read, amended and agreed to.
Paragraphs 75 to 80 (now paragraphs 77 to 82) read and agreed to.
Paragraphs 81 and 82 (now paragraphs 83 and 84) read, amended and agreed to.
Paragraph (now paragraph 85)—(The Chair)—brought up, read the first and second time, and inserted.
Paragraphs 83 to 85 (now paragraphs 86 to 88) read and agreed to.
Paragraphs 86 to 88 (now paragraphs 89 to 91) read, amended and agreed to.
Paragraph (now paragraph 92)—(The Chair)—brought up, read the first and second time, and inserted.
Paragraphs 88 to 92 (now paragraphs 93 to 96) read and agreed to.
Paragraph 93 (now paragraph 97) read, amended and agreed to.
Paragraphs 94 to 104 (now paragraphs 98 to 108) read and agreed to.
Paragraph 105 (now paragraph 109) read, amended and agreed to.
Paragraphs 106 to 110 (now paragraphs 110 to 114) read and agreed to.
Paragraph 111 (now paragraph 115) read, amended and agreed to.
Paragraph 112 (now paragraph 116) read and agreed to.
Paragraphs 113 and 114 (now paragraphs 117 and 118) read, amended and agreed to.
Paragraphs 115 to 125 (now paragraphs 119 to 129) read and agreed to.
Paragraph 126 (now paragraph 130) brought up and read.
Amendment proposed, to leave out from “November” to the end of the paragraph.—(Damian Green.)
The Committee divided.
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Ayes, 1 Damian Green |
Noes, 7 Richard Drax Peter Grant Kate Hoey Kelvin Hopkins Mr Jacob Rees-Mogg Mr Andrew Turner Heather Wheeler |
Question accordingly negatived.
Paragraph amended and agreed to.
Paragraph 127 (now paragraph 131) read, amended and agreed to.
Motion made, and Question put, That Paragraph 128 (now paragraph 132) stand part of the Report.
The Committee divided:
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Ayes, 1 Damian Green |
Noes, 8 Richard Drax Peter Grant Kate Hoey Kelvin Hopkins Mr Jacob Rees-Mogg Alec Shelbrooke Mr Andrew Turner Heather Wheeler |
Question accordingly negatived.
Paragraph agreed to.
Paragraph 129 (now paragraph 133) read, amended and agreed to.
Paragraphs 130 to 136 (now paragraphs 134 to 140) read and agreed to.
Paragraph 137 (now paragraph 141) read, amended and agreed to.
Paragraphs 138 to 140 (now paragraphs 142 to 144) read and agreed to.
Paragraph 141 (now paragraph 145) brought up and read.
Amendment proposed, to leave out from “Justice.” to the end of the paragraph.—(Damian Green.)
The Committee divided.
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Ayes, 1 Damian Green |
Noes, 8 Richard Drax Peter Grant Kate Hoey Kelvin Hopkins Mr Jacob Rees-Mogg Alec Shelbrooke Mr Andrew Turner Heather Wheeler |
Question accordingly negatived.
Paragraph amended and agreed to.
Paragraphs 142 to 145 (now paragraphs 146 to 149) read and agreed to.
Paragraph (now paragraph 150)—(The Chair)—brought up, read the first and second time, and inserted.
Paragraphs 147 to 148 (now paragraphs 151 to 153) agreed to.
Resolved, That the Report be the Fourteenth Report of the Committee to the House.
Ordered, That the Chair make the Report to the House.
Ordered, That embargoed copies of the Report be made available, in accordance with the provisions of Standing Order No. 134.
[Adjourned till Wednesday 16 December at 1.45 pm.
© Parliamentary copyright 2015
Prepared 14 December 2015