Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee

Meeting date: Wednesday, September 28, 2016

Official Report 414KB pdf

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European Union Reporter

At item 4, the committee is invited to appoint a member to serve as a European Union reporter. Paragraph 4 of the clerk’s paper outlines the role of the EU reporter. In addition, paragraph 5 outlines the specific role for the reporter in reporting to the committee on issues that arise from the United Kingdom’s exit from the EU that may be relevant to the committee’s remit.

It is an important role, and I ask for nominations from members of anyone they think would be appropriate to take on the role.

How much support is there for the reporter? They cannot possibly do it themselves.

Absolutely—it is important that the clerks provide support, because it is not something that a member can undertake by themselves. The reporter will have clerical support and will have access to me at any time for help and to work together.

Some committees have appointed two reporters, so we may be minded to do that, although I am quite happy with one. I do not intend to seek the nomination—I am an EU reporter for the Health and Sport Committee.

Okay—I understand your point. Would anyone like to nominate somebody?

With regard to the way in which the reporter liaises with the European and External Relations Committee, is their primary function to attend meetings of that committee and to feed back issues that are relevant to this committee, and vice versa? Is there a wider role that involves working with the Brexit minister? What is required is unclear.

The remit is to work on issues that relate to activities that this committee undertakes. The reporter will be asked to look at specific areas of work that we are carrying out and will not simply go off and do whatever they want. Their role is to look at things that the committee wants looked at in relation to the work that it has to undertake. It is a very specific role.

Are there any other comments before I invite nominations? Let us see if we can get it right the third time. Would Peter Chapman like to nominate someone?

Yes, I would. I think that Mike Rumbles would be excellent for the role, so I propose that he take it on.

Are there any other nominations?

I would like to nominate Mairi Evans—I have not spoken to her, so I do not know what her response will be. She has been a member of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions and has been involved in European affairs for some time. She needs to indicate whether she is willing to accept the nomination—I simply do not know. [Laughter.]

I have to say that, unless there is unanimous demand, I do not wish to pursue the role.

We can have two reporters, you know.

No, I do not think so.

Does Mairi Evans have any comment to make?

I do not mind—I had been thinking about taking on the role for another committee, but another member ended up getting it. I have an interest in Europe and, as Stewart Stevenson said, I sat on the Council of European Municipalities and Regions and I have been appointed to the Committee of the Regions. I would consider taking the role if there is support for my doing so, but I am not one to pit myself against Mike Rumbles.

I would want to move forward only if the decision was unanimous. If there are people who do not have confidence in my nomination—

Hold on. We are not talking about a lack of confidence—we are just looking at the role. There is quite a lot of work involved, and the member who is appointed needs to be whole-heartedly committed to the role.

My question for Mairi Evans is this: would you be whole-heartedly committed to the role?

If I was appointed, of course I would.

I made the point earlier—I mean no disrespect to anyone—that two people can work together in order to go forward. I am a joint EU reporter, with a Tory member, for the Health and Sport Committee. With the greatest of respect, Mr Rumbles, do not take it personally, and do not think that we are trying to vote you down or anything. You see a conspiracy round every corner.

Excuse me, Richard—

With the greatest respect—

I will come straight in there—I am sorry, but I do not want these sorts of conversations across the table.

No.

This is all recorded.

I am going to bring the matter back to the next meeting when we discuss our programme. I will talk to each member of the committee prior to that meeting to identify a way forward. I do not think that it is helpful to continue the conversation at the moment, so I suspend consideration of the item.