Market questions,
From Tom Norma nton, MP
Sir: It is rather significant that Mr William Pickles, in his extensive survey of how he thinks the European Community works (March 8), should have virtually ignored the role of the European Parliament. What references he does make tempt one to believe that the reason is Mr Pickles's ignorance: for example, he seems unaware that the Parliament now has powers of amendment over some 15-20 per cent of the Community Budget, and ultimate power to reject the Buget in its entirety (hp, writes that only "5 per cent or so can be affected"). He seems to know nothing, either, of the Parliament/ Council conciliation procedures on budgetary matters.
Second thoughts lead me to the conclusion, however, that Mr Pickles's . omission is deliberate, and that he has made it because acknowledgement of the Parliament's true role considerably diminishes his argument.
Nowhere, for example, does Mr Pickles mention that the Commission is fully accountable for its actions and its policies to the European Parliament, which has the power to dismiss the Commission by a motion of censure. The right to obtain information from an administration, and to publicise it in open debate is one of the most important powers of any national parliament. This power the European Parliament has in full, through both oral and written question procedures. Moreover, the Parliament is increasingly acquiring the ability to question and secure the participation in debates of the Council of Ministers as well. The present President of the Council, Irish Foreign Secretary, Gareth Fitzgerald, has answered questions and replied to debates at every Parliamentary session since he came into office.
Nor does Mr Pickles mention at all the importance of the Parliamentary Committee stage in Community legislation. It may be that the Council of Ministers is not obliged to take any notice of the Parliament's 'opinion' as expressed in official resolutions. On the other hand, the Commission is able to alter its proposals at any times before the Council of Ministers has finally voted upon them; and the Parliament therefore achieves its purpose principally by impressing its opinions and amendments upon the Commission in committee. In many ways, indeed the power of the European Parliament over the Community administration is considerably greater than that of the Westminster MPs over the British administration. Often at a pre-legislative stage the Commission is obliged to defend its proposals before the appropriate specialised committee of the Parliament, whereas the first Westminster MPs usually see of legislation is the Bill.
Finally Mr Pickles — though mentioning direct elections to the European Parliament as a remedy suggested by "the most ardent 'Europeans' "omits to point out that these have been set for "in or after 1978" by the Summit Conference at Paris in December last year. The system under which these elections will be held was voted by the Parliament in January this year (the initiative in this matter rests, under Article 138 of the Treaties, with the Parliament itself). And neither of the difficulties suggested by Mr Pickles has turned out to be important: relative voting strengths were amicably determined: and the Parliament is already coping very well with the difficulties posed by the dispersion of executive authority.
Once, indeed, the true role of the European Parliament is understood, the anti-market bogey of parliamentary power having been lost to 'bureaucrats in Brussels' dissolves into thin air.
Toni Normanton House of Commons, London SW1
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