Lords to question Europe Minister ahead of European Council
On Monday 14 December the House of Lords EU Committee will take evidence from David Lidington MP, Minister for Europe, ahead of the next European Council Meeting on 17/18 December.
He will be questioned on a variety of EU matters, notably the recent letter from the EU President Donald Tusk to the Council on the UK in/out referendum.
Areas of questioning will include migration, economic and monetary union, recent events in Syria, as well as the UK and its reform proposals.
Questions the Committee will want to put to Mr Lidington include:
- What steps are necessary to tackle the refugee crisis?
- How would you safeguard the interests of non-euro area countries such as the UK?
- How would you assess the impact of recent events in Syria and beyond on EU-Russia relations?
- We understand that the Prime Minister has accepted that it will not be possible to reach agreement on the UK's reform proposals at the December European Council. In light of this, what do you hope and expect will be achieved at this week's meeting?
- How can the impasse between the UK and other Member States on the question of in-work benefits be resolved?
- How do you respond to claims that the devolved institutions have not been sufficiently involved in the reform negotiation process?
The evidence session will start at 2.30pm on Monday 14 December in Committee Room 1 of the House of Lords.
