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EU: National Vetoes
3.01 pm
Lord Waddington asked Her Majesty’s Government:
Whether in negotiations within the European Union they propose to agree to a reduction in the number of policy areas covered by national vetoes.
Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: My Lords, the draft constitutional treaty provided for an extension of qualified majority voting in some areas. However, there is at present no consensus among EU partners on the way forward regarding the constitutional treaty, or any new treaty. These issues will be discussed at the European Council in June. Her Majesty’s Government have always taken the view that QMV can deliver practical benefit in some areas, but as in all things we will consider what is in the national interest.
Lord Waddington: My Lords, as ever I am grateful to the Minister for her reply, but did the Prime Minister not talk much about red lines that he would not cross prior to negotiations on the European constitution? Admittedly, he did not pay much attention to them in the event, but are we not entitled to know what his red lines are this time? In how many areas where we now have the veto is he prepared to sign away the rights of this Parliament without consulting the people?
Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: My Lords, the Government are considering all those issues and how best they may negotiate on them at the Council in June to ensure that any agreement made is, indeed, in the best interests of this country. The Government are not prepared to conduct those negotiations in public.
Lord Wallace of Saltaire: My Lords, can the Minister confirm that the British Government are rarely in the minority on qualified majority votes in the European Union, and that our national interests are much more
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Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: My Lords, the noble Lord is right: without the use of QMV, a single country could block the EU decision-making process. We have made recent progress in the services directive, for example, precisely because of QMV. That is extremely important, so this Government will undoubtedly seriously consider extending QMV, just as previous Conservative Governments did—including that of which the noble Lord, Lord Waddington, was a member.
Lord Lamont of Lerwick: My Lords, has the Minister noticed the recent 14 April edition of the Economist, hardly a Euro-sceptic magazine, which stated that it was the biggest of all Euro myths that enlargement required more decision-making to be made by QMV? The Economist asked why, if that is the case, is there no logjam of legislation and why, as a recent study by Sciences Po University in Paris demonstrated, decision-making in the European Union is 25 per cent faster than it was before enlargement. If decision-making is so difficult, how has the European Union been able to agree a very important open-skies agreement with America, and a climate change agreement which Chancellor Merkel described as historic? Surely there is no real argument for what the Government are considering.
Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: My Lords, the Government are considering QMV because it was on the table under the German presidency. But many other issues are on the table, such as the size of the European Commission. QMV is just one of a series of issues on the table. The noble Lord is absolutely right to say that enlargement is progressing under the current system—or has progressed, we have Romania and Bulgaria now—and that the European Union is functioning well. However, it could function better. If there is to be further enlargement, steps must be taken, for example, to ensure that members of the European Commission are revised as per the Nice treaty.
Lord Harrison: My Lords, further to the penultimate question, what is the Government's strategy to reduce the 26 national vetoes held by other member states which, for instance, frustrate the establishment of the single European market and frustrate opportunities for British business to succeed therein?
Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: My Lords, as with the other issues raised about QMV, the matter is being considered by the Government and discussed between the Government and their partners. We wait to see what developments will issue after the June European Council.
Lord Howell of Guildford: My Lords, we are glad that the Government are considering all those matters; so they should be. Does not the Minister
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Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: My Lords, the usual channels will indeed be discussing that but, as my noble friend Lord Triesman stated in the House the other day, after the European Council, there will be a Statement for debate in this House and the issue will be referred to the excellent European Committee chaired by a noble Lord in this House.
Lord Stoddart of Swindon: My Lords, can the noble Baroness confirm that the Government will retain the veto on taxation, defence, foreign affairs and justice and home affairs?
Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: My Lords, the Government are absolutely clear that we will retain the national veto in the areas of national interest—the areas that we believe to be in the national interest—such as tax, social security, defence and key areas of criminal procedural law.
Lord Campbell of Alloway: My Lords—
Lord Teverson: My Lords, is it not essential that QMV is introduced in the areas of agriculture and fisheries in particular? Otherwise, there is no chance of achieving a fundamental change in the common agricultural policy and abolishing the common fisheries policy and replacing it with something far more sensible?
Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: My Lords, as I stated, the Government are considering all those issues very seriously to ensure that the European Union functions better in the national interest, but also in the interests of all the people of the European Union.
Lord Campbell of Alloway: My Lords—
The Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Rooker): My Lords, it is time to move on.
Fair Trade
3.09 pm
Lord Bilston asked Her Majesty’s Government:
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The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Lord Truscott): My Lords, the UK Government support the aims of the fair trade movement and recognise the enormous difference that fair trade can make to disadvantaged communities and its contribution to sustainable development. We have not been invited to become involved in World Fair Trade Day. However, the Government would like to congratulate the London Borough of Waltham Forest on recently receiving fair trade status, which is being celebrated at one of the UK events on 12 May.
Lord Bilston: My Lords, I thank my noble friend for that reply. Does he agree that fair trade and trade justice are still the great hope of civilisation for the millions of people in impoverished countries who are seeking through such practices to bring themselves out of poverty and, by obtaining a fair price for their products and services, to challenge rich and prosperous countries to assist them? Will he use his good offices to encourage all government departments to embrace fair trade initiatives and practices and to mount an international campaign for fair trade by championing positive procurement policies to assist in this vital and majestic cause?
Lord Truscott: My Lords, first, I pay tribute to my noble friend’s work in this area to ensure that a range of fair trade products are available in the Houses of Parliament, including your Lordships’ House. I also thank him for his work in international development. I certainly agree with his sentiments about supporting people in developing countries. As he will know, between 2002 and 2007, DfID has given more than £1 million of support to the Fairtrade Foundation, and the UK is in the lead in the fair trade movement. It is very welcome that, between 2005 and 2006, UK fair trade sales increased by about 50 per cent with sales now estimated at about £300 million. That is benefiting 368 producer groups from Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean and Asia who are selling to the UK market. We would like to see that success replicated across the globe.
Baroness Wilcox: My Lords, a successful Doha round would go a long way towards creating fairer trade rules for the developing world. What recent representations has the Minister made to Peter Mandelson, the European Trade Commissioner, to ensure that European tariffs and farm subsidies will not continue to hold back the Doha trade round and reduce the export earnings of the developing countries to which the noble Lord referred?
Lord Truscott: My Lords, I assure the noble Baroness that my department and the Government are working closely with the European Commission to ensure that the Doha trade round is a success for the reason she outlined.
Lord Avebury: My Lords, further to that question, what concrete steps have been taken towards completion of the Doha round since substantive negotiations were
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Lord Truscott: My Lords, negotiations are ongoing and the agenda is still being established for the G8 in Germany. Rather than going into further detail, it would be better if I wrote to the noble Lord.
Baroness Gardner of Parkes: My Lords, having been involved in the issue as the chairman of a charity, I saw how direct marketing by people making panama hats in Ecuador enabled them to increase their income per hat from less than £1—I think it was about 50p—to many pounds. Can the Minister say what proportion of the money in fair trade goes directly to the producers and how much to operating the system?
Lord Truscott: My Lords, the fair trade standards are laid down to ensure that organisational, social and environmental criteria are met so that producers can be certified as fair trade producers. Smallholder co-operatives and other organisations must be instruments for the social and economic development of their members. Issues such as standards of employment and health are also incorporated in the standards. Price is a question of negotiation, but the system is such that the fair trade criteria establish a minimum guaranteed price for the producer that covers its costs of production and ensures a living wage for the workers and growers. That can vary, but obviously it is tailored to the particular needs of the producers.
The Lord Bishop of Liverpool: My Lords, is the Minister aware of the number of local councils around the country that have passed resolutions to become fair trade councils? Is it possible to collate these figures and to publish them as a means of encouraging people and raising awareness of the importance of fair trade at a local level?
Lord Truscott: My Lords, the right reverend Prelate makes a very important point. I can tell your Lordships’ House that, as of 23 February 2007, there were 262 UK fair trade towns, cities, boroughs, villages, zones and islands, and that 219 UK towns are working towards fair trade status. I agree with the right reverend Prelate that the more we can do to publicise that and to encourage that example, the better.
Lord Inglewood: My Lords, does the Minister agree that the principles underlying fair trade should also apply to trade in this country? I am thinking particularly of the problems facing the farming industry, and I declare an interest as a farmer.
Lord Truscott: My Lords, I agree with the noble Lord. Of course, we have regulatory authorities and competition authorities to ensure that that is the case.
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Lord Tomlinson: My Lords, can we perhaps have a slightly less ambitious target and, instead of trying to change the whole world to fair trade, persuade the House of Lords to take fair trade bananas in the Bishops’ Bar? I have been active on this several times but, so far, without success.
Lord Truscott: My Lords, my noble friend is absolutely right that we should be looking at that, and I hope that the appropriate committee of the House is investigating it. I understand that we have been trying to purchase fair trade bananas for the Bishops’ Bar and think that it should be looked at as a matter of urgency.
Afghanistan: Combat Vehicles
3.17 pm
Lord Craig of Radley asked Her Majesty’s Government:
The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Drayson): My Lords, I am sure that the whole House will wish to join me in extending our sincere condolences to the families and friends of Major Nick Bateson and Guardsman Simon Davison, who died last week in Iraq and Afghanistan respectively, and of Private Kevin Thompson, who died over the weekend of injuries received in Iraq. There is currently no shortage of combat vehicles in Afghanistan.
Lord Craig of Radley: My Lords, I thank the Minister for that reply. There continue to be very disturbing media reports of shortages, quoting service personnel in theatre, including a report about combat vehicles, which prompted my Question. Another report yesterday, headed:
Does not this indicate a shortage of equipment overall for the forces undertaking the tasks that they have been set by this Government?
Lord Drayson: My Lords, I am aware of the press reports to which the noble and gallant Lord refers. I have carefully studied the data on the availability of combat vehicles in Afghanistan, and can confirm to the House that requests for combat vehicle equipment that come up through the chain of command from theatre have been met in all cases. Those in theatre do have the combat vehicles that they require to carry out operations. I had a conversation this morning with the Chief of the Defence Staff on this very subject, and he confirmed that to be the case.
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Lord King of Bridgwater: My Lords, will the Minister confirm that he saw the article to which the noble and gallant Lord referred? It is extremely damaging to morale, not least to that of the families of those who are going to serve in both these operational theatres. Will the Minister undertake to publish and put into the Library a full response from the Government to all the points made, not only about armoured vehicles but about the general issue of all the equipment referred to in the article, so that, if he is correct that there are no shortages, this matter can be officially confirmed? Otherwise, it is extremely damaging.
Lord Drayson: My Lords, I am happy to place in the Library the data that I can provide on the availability of our combat vehicles. I cannot be specific about each vehicle type because that would prejudice operations, but I can give data relating to the total number of combat vehicles, their availability and the trend thereof.
Lord Garden: My Lords, we on these Benches join in offering our condolences to the families of the three soldiers killed since we last met. The Minister will be aware that the reports in the press are drawn from the leaked document, Equipment Reverse—SITREP No. 2, which since the weekend has been in the public domain. It confirms what the Minister said—that the forces are well equipped on operations—but it spells out in detail the difficulty of sustaining that situation. The phrase it uses is “LAND’s cupboard is bare”: in other words, the cupboard of the headquarters of the Army’s operations is bare. What changes is the Minister making, given his new responsibilities, to ensure that he can sustain the necessary spares, which are lacking; replace the equipment, which is wearing much faster than expected; and change the assumptions on attrition rates?
Lord Drayson: My Lords, the noble Lord, Lord Garden, highlights exactly the points on which we need to focus. The level of operations with which we are now coping puts pressure on equipment and means that equipment priorities for operations have consequences for the availability of equipment at home base. Dealing with these issues is about investing in more equipment where required. We are addressing the availability of spares. More importantly, the reforms we are putting in place and the way we manage equipment—for example, the whole-fleet management of combat vehicles—is at the heart of improving the availability of vehicles both for operations and back at base. These reform initiatives, which we are putting in place as a result of investment and the proactive approach to reform that comes from bringing together defence equipment and defence support, are at the heart of these issues.
Baroness Sharples: My Lords, will the noble Lord tell us whether these combat vehicles really are properly protected now?
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