William Hague appears before Foreign Affairs Committee
8 March 2012
The Foreign Affairs Committee takes oral evidence from the Foreign Secretary on Thursday 8 March 2012 at 10.10 am as part of its ongoing inquiry into Developments in UK Foreign Policy. The Committee takes evidence from the Foreign Secretary for this inquiry once every six months.
- Parliament TV: Developments in UK Foreign Policy
- Inquiry: Developments in UK Foreign Policy
- Foreign Affairs Committee
The session is likely to focus on the UK's position and policy in the EU, in light of the expected signature by 25 of the 27 Member States (in the margins of the 1-2 March European Council meeting) of the Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union.
The Committee is likely to pursue a number of issues raised in an exchange of letters between the Foreign Secretary and the Chairman of the Committee, Richard Ottaway MP, following the December meeting of the European Council.
At the December meeting, the Prime Minister vetoed prospective amendment of the EU Treaties when other Member States did not agree to include safeguards requested by the UK Government. As a consequence, other Member States concluded the Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union as an intergovernmental treaty outside the EU.
The Committee may also question the Foreign Secretary on other current issues in UK foreign policy, such as Iran or Syria.
Witnesses
Grimond Room, Portcullis House
At 10.10 am
- Rt Hon William Hague MP, First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
- Simon Fraser, CMG, Permanent Under-Secretary, and
- Simon Manley, Director for Europe, Foreign and Commonwealth Office