To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations she has received from farmers on the recent announcement on the EU sugar reforms.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations she has received from farmers on the recent announcement on the EU sugar reforms.

I. Communication from the European Commission to the European Parliament and Council regarding European values in the globalised world. II. Statements agreed by EU leaders at the informal meeting of EU Heads of State held at Hampton Court October 2005 regarding a) Iran b) Syria and c) South Asian earthquake.

I. Communication from the European Commission to the European Parliament and Council regarding European values in the globalised world. II. Statements agreed by EU leaders at the informal meeting of EU Heads of State held at Hampton Court October 2005 regarding a) Iran b) Syria and c) South Asian earthquake.

Statement on the European Union.

Statement on the European Union.

My Lords, one of the things that the Prime Minister said in his speech in Europe last week was that if one thing is plain about Europe, it is that it is not business as usual. As noble Lords will see, he used that phrase. The reforms are bound to...

My Lords, one of the things that the Prime Minister said in his speech in Europe last week was that if one thing is plain about Europe, it is that it is not business as usual. As noble Lords will see, he used that phrase. The reforms are bound to...

It is indeed. I am grateful to the Foreign Secretary for the advance notice of the statement on the White Paper, much of which the Liberal Democrats agree with, as we did with large segments of the Prime Minister’s widely reported speech to the European Parliament. However, as has been...

It is indeed. I am grateful to the Foreign Secretary for the advance notice of the statement on the White Paper, much of which the Liberal Democrats agree with, as we did with large segments of the Prime Minister’s widely reported speech to the European Parliament. However, as has been...

I welcome the White Paper and the way in which the Government have allowed for debate in this House. The former members of the Foreign Affairs Committee had a meeting with Members of the European Parliament, and I welcome such initiatives for closer co-operation. I see in the White Paper...

I welcome the White Paper and the way in which the Government have allowed for debate in this House. The former members of the Foreign Affairs Committee had a meeting with Members of the European Parliament, and I welcome such initiatives for closer co-operation. I see in the White Paper...

I am delighted, Mr. Deputy Speaker—

I am delighted, Mr. Deputy Speaker—

Lords statement on the European Union.

Lords statement on the European Union.

It’s tough at the top!

It’s tough at the top!

Hear, hear.

Hear, hear.

That is not what I said.

That is not what I said.

My Lords, in recent days the Government seem to have modified their views on the common agricultural policy from saying ““may be reducing generally”” to ””redirecting payments mainly to the new accession states””. Yesterday the Prime Minister used the words ““get rid”” of the common agricultural policy. Which is it?

My Lords, in recent days the Government seem to have modified their views on the common agricultural policy from saying ““may be reducing generally”” to ””redirecting payments mainly to the new accession states””. Yesterday the Prime Minister used the words ““get rid”” of the common agricultural policy. Which is it?

My Lords, I shall make no commitments to further referenda on any of the matters the noble Lord has raised. Those are not issues which I think delineate between the quality of French democracy and the United Kingdom’s democracy. I have never heard it said that our Parliament is not...

My Lords, I shall make no commitments to further referenda on any of the matters the noble Lord has raised. Those are not issues which I think delineate between the quality of French democracy and the United Kingdom’s democracy. I have never heard it said that our Parliament is not...

My Lords, I thought that the Minister described with absolute clarity the position over the constitution. I cannot imagine anything more likely to enrage the British public than spending tens of millions of pounds on a referendum on something which we are all aware is no longer on the table....

My Lords, I thought that the Minister described with absolute clarity the position over the constitution. I cannot imagine anything more likely to enrage the British public than spending tens of millions of pounds on a referendum on something which we are all aware is no longer on the table....

My Lords, I preface my answer by saying that we already make substantial contributions to the accession states. I made the point that we are the second largest net contributor to the budget—aside from the rebate. The common agricultural policy and a number of the other financial institutions which deal...

My Lords, I preface my answer by saying that we already make substantial contributions to the accession states. I made the point that we are the second largest net contributor to the budget—aside from the rebate. The common agricultural policy and a number of the other financial institutions which deal...

My Lords, these documents take some time to prepare and I had assumed that the drafts for this document were circulating some time before the referendums were held in France and in Holland. I could not help wondering how different this document is and whether it does not in some...

My Lords, these documents take some time to prepare and I had assumed that the drafts for this document were circulating some time before the referendums were held in France and in Holland. I could not help wondering how different this document is and whether it does not in some...

My Lords, I thank my noble friend for her questions and the points that are obviously intrinsic to those questions. The intention, as I understand it, is to conduct discussions with Turkey on the basis of full membership. I know that there is a good deal of work still to...

My Lords, I thank my noble friend for her questions and the points that are obviously intrinsic to those questions. The intention, as I understand it, is to conduct discussions with Turkey on the basis of full membership. I know that there is a good deal of work still to...

My Lords, although I appreciate that it is not within the Government’s power at this stage to influence, six months seems a ludicrously short period of time for which to hold the presidency given the many initiatives, which I welcome, about which my noble friend spoke. I especially welcome what...

My Lords, although I appreciate that it is not within the Government’s power at this stage to influence, six months seems a ludicrously short period of time for which to hold the presidency given the many initiatives, which I welcome, about which my noble friend spoke. I especially welcome what...

My Lords, during the next presidency, will we press the EU to look further afield with regard to trade, especially free-trade agreements with friendly countries in south-east Asia, such as Malaysia and Singapore, to counterbalance the growing status of China?

My Lords, during the next presidency, will we press the EU to look further afield with regard to trade, especially free-trade agreements with friendly countries in south-east Asia, such as Malaysia and Singapore, to counterbalance the growing status of China?