TNAG-2201-FCO40-3156-Hong-Kong-nationality-1990 — Page 71

1099

King's Cross Railways Bill

8 FEBRUARY 1990

European Community (Right of Residence)

1100

Sir Giles (Pudsey) Roger

Wardle, Charles (Bexhill) Watts, John

Snape, Peter

Speed, Keith

Speller, Tony

Stevens, Lewis

Stradling Thomas, Sir John

Sumberg, David

Taylor, lan (Esher)

Taylor, John M (Solihull)

Thurnham, Peter

Walker, Bill (T'side North)

Waller, Gary

Aitken, Jonathan

Arnold, Jacques (Gravesham) Banks, Tony (Newham NW) Bermingham, Gerald Bowden, Gerald (Dulwich) Cartwright, John

Fenner, Dame Peggy

Flannery, Martin

Harman, Ms Harriet

Hayes, Jerry

Haynes, Frank

Leighton, Ron

Lewis, Terry

Mahon, Mrs Alice

Welsh, Andrew (Angus E) Widdecombe, Ann Wiggin, Jerry

Wilshire, David

Wood, Timothy

Young, Sir George (Acton)

Tellers for the Ayes:

Mr. George Galloway and Mr. Neil Hamilton.

NOES

Michie, Bill (Sheffield Heeley) Moate, Roger

Nellist, Dave

Pike, Peter L.

Rowe, Andrew

Shaw, David (Dover) Skinner, Dennis

Spearing, Nigel

Stewart, Allan (Eastwood) Vaz, Keith

Tellers for the Noes:

Mr. Harry Barnes and Mr. Jeremy Corbyn.

Question accordingly agreed to. Ordered,

That, notwithstanding the provisions of Standing Order 121 (Quorum of committee on opposed bill), leave be given for the Committee on the King's Cross Railways Bill to proceed with a quorum of two.

European Community (Right of Residence)

Madam Deputy Speaker (Miss Betty Boothroyd): Before I call the Minister, I must tell the House that Mr. Speaker has not selected the amendment, but Members may raise points on the amendment during the debate.

9.16 pm

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (Mr. Peter Lloyd): I beg to move,

That this House takes note of European Community Document No. 7706/89 and the Supplementary Explanatory Memorandum submitted by the Home Office on 8th January 1990 relating to rights of residence; and supports the objective of facilitating the free movement of European Community nationals.

This debate is an opportunity for the House to note the progress of the right of residence directives and their likely impact on the United Kingdom should they be adopted.

For some 10 years the proposal that Community nationals should enjoy a general right of residence in other member states has been under discussion in Europe. Finally, recognising that deadlock had long been reached, the European Commission, in May last year, withdrew its earlier proposal and later submitted three new draft directives in its place. It is these new draft directives that are under discussion tonight.

Hon. Members may have with them tonight Commission document 4234/90, which was deposited in the House on 30 January. It may be helpful if I give a brief explanation of what it contains. It incorporates some of the amendments proposed by the European Parliament on 13 December. It does not include the latest text of the proposals upon which political agreement was reached at the last Internal Market Council and I will mention this again a little later. It is a purely formal document issued by the Commission in response to the first opinion of the European Parliament on the original text of the proposals. However, the supplementary explanatory memorandum, which we submitted to the House on 8 January, is an accurate reflection of the latest text of the proposals.

These new measures are designed to provide a right of residence throughout the Community for categories of Community national who do not already have such a right under the free-movement provisions of the EC treaty. Their purpose is to promote the free movement of EC nationals within the Community—a principle to which the Government have long been committed. We have therefore sought to respond throughout the discussions in Europe in the most positive manner possible.

Since July rapid progress-in the light of the earlier discussions unexpectedly rapid progress-has been made towards agreement among member states. There have been intensive discussions and at the last Internal Market Council, on 21 December, the presidency noted that political agreement on the substance of the directives had been achieved.

The important matter of treaty base, however, remains unsettled. and adoption of the directives cannot take place until the European Assembly's further opinion has been. made available and considered by the Council. It may therefore be that formal adoption of these proposals will not be possible at the next meeting of the IMC, on 22 February. If this is the case, the next opportunity for their adoption will arise at the IMC scheduled for 3 April.

565 CD80/45 Job 12-3