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5.49 pm
Lord Grenfell: My Lords, I have a couple of comments. This has been a very useful and interesting debate. I return the compliment and refer to the noble Lord, Lord Howell, who is my noble friend. That has no political connotation; we have been friends for a very long time. It is always a pleasure to exchange ideas with him across the Floor of this Chamber. He asked what we mean by top down. The Commission has the right of initiative. It is correct that the College of Commissioners should be at the start of the process, leading to tripartite discussions with the Council and the European Parliament. I think that is the right way to go.
As some participants in this debate have suggested, I hope that later this year we will have a chance to debate the 2009 annual policy strategy and to look at its contents. I make no apology for steering my committee into focusing our inquiry on the procedures. This was the first time that we had looked at an annual policy strategy. It seemed to me that if we could get a grip on the procedures we might be able to influence a little, as I think, in the event, we modestly have. Future examinations of the APS can then concentrate on the content.
I thank all who have taken part in the debate. In the course of my remarks, I was complaining that the Commission was guilty of succumbing to the Christmas tree syndrome. Some of that has been reflected in the debate today. We have covered the euro, the Balkans, consular services, and even the Lisbon treaty. I do not resent that at all; it has all been very interesting and has added something to the debate. What has been said about the procedures here is very helpful to us. I am glad that there seems to be quite a consensus that the Commission has to look seriously at how the APS is constructed in future.
I thank all participants and I warmly thank the Minister for his eloquent and helpful response. He has considerable experience of international institutions. His curiosity about how they work may not extend to being as ghoulish as mine, as he suggested; none the less, he understands the intricacies of dealing with international institutions and the problems that national parliaments face in dealing with them.
On Question, Motion agreed to.
- House adjourned at 5.52 pm.
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