The United Kingdom Parliament and European Union Legislation

This book analyses the role of the United Kingdom Parliament in the law-making procedures of the European Union. The work is divided into three parts.

<p class=copymedium>Part One considers the constitutional position of the UK Parliament in the European Union and examines the formal and informal relationship between Parliament and the European Institutions and their effect upon the legislative process.

<p class=copymedium>Part Two focuses on the House of Commons scrutiny of European Community legislative proposals. It examines the work of the Select Committees on European Legislation, the two European Standing Committees and the Departmental Select Committees. A particular point of focus is their primary task of influencing the minister before he or she gives final agreement to a legislative proposal in the Council of Ministers. This section concludes with an analysis of how developments `post-Maastricht' have affected the scrutiny process. Particular attention is paid to the co-decision legislative procedure and its impact on scrutiny.

<p class=copymedium>Part Three focuses on the arrangements in the House of Lords for scrutiny of European decision making. The two core chapters examine and evaluate the Select Committee on the European Communities and the five subject-related Sub-Committees. Where relevant, comparative analysis with procedures in the Commons is drawn. Developments 'post-Maastricht' are also considered by inquiring into the scrutiny arrangements for legislation proposed under the Inter-Governmental Pillars; the political cooperation forum within the European Union. Part Three concludes with an appraisal of current proposals for reforming the House of Lords and its potential impact on scrutiny.

<p class=copymedium>Part Four evaluates the evidence and proposes detailed reforms to the scrutiny process. The final paragraphs focus specifically on the outcome of the 1996-1997 Inter-Governmental Conference, whose agenda includes the roles of national parliaments in the European Union. Within this context, the prospects for, and likely future developments in, the scrutiny process are considered.