Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2002-10-22-Speech-2-242"

Predicate	Value (sorted: default)
rdf:type	lpv_eu:Speech2
dcterms:Date	"2002-10-22"^^xsd:date2
dcterms:Is Part Of	lp_eu:Access to sensitive Council documents on security and defence2
dcterms:Language	"en"^^xsd:language2
lpv:document identification number	"en.20021022.8.2-242"2
lpv:hasSubsequent	lp_eu:2002-10-22-Speech-2-2432
lpv:speaker	lp:Jeffrey Titford2
lpv:spoken text	"Mr President, despite attempts to make them otherwise, security and defence are matters for the European Council. This Parliament has no competence in that area, either legislative or budgetary. Furthermore, it has to be said that, within the context of the Treaties, the function of this Parliament is to scrutinise the Commission. Its responsibility does not extend to the scrutiny or review of Council activities. Scrutiny of Council members remains the responsibility of individual national parliaments. It is to them that their individual ministers are responsible. Only those parliaments can hold ministers to account. On that basis, it seems to be a measure of the self-importance of the Members of this Parliament that they are seeking information that is not in the public domain. I would say that it is none of their business. Parliament should not be asking for it, and the Council should not give it. This also has wider implications. The information is not to be given to all Members but to a select and privileged cartel within this Parliament. Furthermore, those who receive that information are to be sworn to secrecy and can be disciplined for breaches of confidence. There cannot be a better way of muzzling representatives of the public. The central point is that, if the primary role of Parliament is scrutinising the Commission, then that is exactly what it should be doing. Time allocated for debates on these matters is already ridiculously short, and scrutiny is therefore minimal. It would be far better if the House concentrated on its statutory duties, rather than poking its nose into areas which are none of its business. In pursuit of more information, therefore, it would be much better if it devoted its energies to pressing for more transparency and openness from the Commission."@en1
lpv:spokenAs	member; CONT (2002-01-17--2004-07-19)3 member; Temporary committee on foot and mouth disease (2002-01-17--2002-12-17)3 member; EDD (1999-07-20--2004-07-19)3 unknown; UK Independence Party (1999-07-20--2004-07-19)3 substitute; AGRI (2002-01-17--2004-07-19)3
lpv:unclassifiedMetadata	"Titford (EDD )."1

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The resource appears as object in 2 triples

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