The European Union Committee
The Committee considers EU documents in advance of
decisions being taken on them in Brussels, in order to influence
the Government's position and to hold them to account.
The Government are required to deposit EU documents
in Parliament, and to produce within two weeks an Explanatory
Memorandum setting out the implications for the UK. The Committee
examines these documents, and 'holds under scrutiny' any about
which it has concerns, entering into correspondence with the relevant
Minister until satisfied. Letters must be answered within two
weeks. Under the 'scrutiny reserve resolution', the Government
may not agree in the EU Council of Ministers to any proposal still
held under scrutiny; reasons must be given for any breach.
The Committee also conducts inquiries and makes reports.
The Government are required to respond in writing to a report's
recommendations within two months of publication. If the report
is for debate, then there is a debate in the House of Lords, which
a Minister attends and responds to.
The Committee has six Sub-Committees, which are:
Economic and Financial Affairs (Sub-Committee A)
Internal Market, Infrastructure and Employment (Sub-Committee
B)
External Affairs (Sub-Committee C)
Agriculture, Fisheries, Environment and Energy (Sub-Committee
D)
Justice, Institutions and Consumer Protection (Sub-Committee
E)
Home Affairs, Health and Education (Sub-Committee
F)
Our Membership
The Members of the European Union Committee are:
| Lord Boswell of Aynho (Chairman)
| Lord Hannay of Chiswick
| The Earl of Sandwich |
| Lord Bowness | Lord Harrison
| Baroness Scott of Needham Market
|
| Lord Cameron of Dillington | Lord Maclennan of Rogart
| Lord Tomlinson |
| Baroness Corston | Lord Marlesford
| Lord Tugendhat |
| Lord Dear | Baroness O'Cathain
| Lord Wilson of Tillyorn
|
| Baroness Eccles of Moulton | Baroness Parminter
| |
| Lord Foulkes of Cumnock | Baroness Quin
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Information about the Committee
For information freely available on the web, our homepage is http://www.parliament.uk/hleu
There you will find many of our publications, along
with press notices, details of membership and forthcoming meetings,
and other information about the ongoing work of the Committee
and its Sub-Committees, each of which has its own homepage.
General Information
General information about the House of Lords and
its Sub-Committees, including guidance to witnesses, details of
current inquiries and forthcoming meetings is on the internet
at
http://www.parliament.uk/business/lords/
Select Committee Staff
The current staff of the Committee are Jake Vaughan
(Clerk), Luke Hussey (Second Clerk) and Karen Sumner (Committee
Assistant).
Contacts for the European Union Committee
Contact details for individual Sub-Committees are
given on the website. General correspondence should be addressed
to the Clerk of the European Union Committee, Committee Office,
House of Lords, London, SW1A 0PW. General enquiries 020 7219 5791.
The Committee's email address is euclords@parliament.uk
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