In answer to a Parliamentary Question, the Foreign Office has listed fifty different areas where member stets will lose the veto if the new draft Treaty is passed by the IGC.

The government says that special deals to protect the so-called red lines? will reduce that to 37 areas in the case of the UK.

The 37 unprotected areas include the loss of the veto over transport policy, energy policy, tourism, civil protection, space, research, and the common commercial policy. These are all very important areas. In a case like energy where the UK is one of two oil and gas producers in the Union, it might be very difficult to protect our interests in a majority voting system. They also include the introduction of majority voting into some parts of defence and foreign policy.

The four ways of defending the so-called red lines emergency brake, Protocol, Declaration and opt-in are all weaker than keeping the veto. In the case of the opt in, once a government has opted in you cannot get the power back to make your own decisions, in crucial areas like immigration, borders, policing and choice of criminal offences.

The case for a referendum on this wide ranging give away of powers is overwhelming. Labour promised one to avoid all debate of this at the last General Election, knowing their support for this Treaty was unpopular. They should now do the decent thing, honour their promise, and show us they are serious when they say they want to listen to the people.

The Hansard text of John Redwood’s Parliamentary Question and Jim Murphy’s reply now follows:

<strong>European Constitution Treaty</strong>

<strong>Mr. Redwood: </strong>To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in which areas will powers of national veto over European legislation and policy cease if the treaty agreed at the EU Council on 23 June comes into effect. [146189]

<strong>26 July 2007 : Column 1468W</strong>
<strong>Philip Davies:</strong> To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list (a) new and (b) existing articles that may be (i) introduced and (ii) moved to be subject to qualified majority voting under the terms of the Inter-governmental Conference Mandate; and if he will make a statement. [147729]
Mr. Jim Murphy: The Government expect the new Reform treaty to contain extensions of qualified majority voting (QMV) under 50 articles. However, the number of extensions that will apply to the UK will be significantly less than 50. We expect 13 extensions will not apply to the UK. Nine of these relate to Justice and Home Affairs (where we have secured an extension of our existing opt-in mechanism). Three relate to the euro (where our opt-out applies). One relates to social security (where we will have an emergency brake including a veto power).

<strong>Existing areas of policy activity moved from unanimity to QMV</strong>

1. Immigration and frontier controls (UK opt-in)
2. Judicial co-operation in criminal matters (UK opt-in)
3. Minimum rules for the definition of criminal offences and sanctions (UK opt-in)
4. Eurojust (structure, operation, field of action and tasks) (UK opt-in)
5. Police co-operation (data sharing and training) (UK opt-in)
6. Europol (structure, operation, field of action and tasks) (UK opt-in)
7. Social security measures to facilitate free movement of workers (emergency brake including a veto power)
8. Co-ordination of measures to facilitate self-employment in other member states
9. Measures implementing the common transport policy (removes existing limited derogation on the common transport policy)
10. Incentive measures to promote cultural awareness and diversity
Existing institutional/procedural measures moved from unanimity to QMV
11. Appointment of European Central Bank (ECB) executive board (UK opt-out)
12. The procedures for Comitology processes (rules enabling member states to oversee the Commission’s exercise of its implementing powers)
13. Adoption of detailed financial rules for the establishment and implementation of the budget (including accounting and budgetary principles)
14. Specialised courts (establishment of specialised first instance courts)
15. Proposals for amending the statute of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) (the statute governs the terms of appointment, organisation and procedures of the ECJ)
16. Proposals from the Commission for amendments to certain parts of the statute of the European System of Central Banks
17. Presidency of Council configurations (arrangements for rotation)
Existing areas of policy activity where there is a new specific legal base subject to QMV
18. Measures necessary for the use of the euro (UK opt-out)
26 July 2007 : Column 1468W? continued
19. Measures relating to euro group co-ordination and surveillance (applicable only to eurozone members) (UK opt-out)
20. Establishment of integrated management system for external borders (UK opt-in)

<strong>26 July 2007 : Column 1469W</strong>
21. Mechanism for peer review of member states’ implementation of policies in the Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) area (UK opt-in)
22. Measures to promote crime prevention (UK opt-in)
23. Implementation of own resources decisions
24. Provisions enabling repeal of the aspects of an article related to state aids policy and the effect of the past division of Germany
25. Procedure for entry into the euro (applies only to recommendations from eurozone
members to the Council on authorising entry)
26. Provisions enabling repeal of an article on transport policy as it affects areas of Germany affected by its past division
27. Authorisation, co-ordination and supervision of EU-level intellectual property rights protection
28. Clarification of how EU rules and principles apply to services of general economic interest (broadly, public services)
29. Measures to facilitate diplomatic and consular protection
30. EU humanitarian aid operations
31. Energy (measures on energy markets, energy security and energy saving)
32. Tourism (promotion of competitiveness and best practice)
33. Civil protection (promoting co-operation among member states to prevent or protect against natural or man-made disasters)
34. Implementation of solidarity clause (assistance, if requested, in the event of a natural or man-made disaster)
35. Creation of a ??Ëœstart-up fund’ for urgent Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) measures (for ??ËœPetersberg’ tasks)
36. Urgent EU aid to third countries
37. Definition of a general framework for implementing the existing Common Commercial Policy
New areas of EU policy activity subject to QMV
38. European Research Area (removal of barriers to free flow of research)
39. Space policy (measures to promote joint initiatives and research and development)
40. Incentive measures to promote sport
41. Administrative co-operation (capacity-building measures in new member states)
42. Membership of structured co-operation in defence (procedural issues relating to its establishment)
New institutional/procedural measures subject to QMV
43. Appointment of European Council President by the European Council
44. Appointment of High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy by the European Council
45. Council review of general rules on composition of the Committee of the Regions and European Economic and Social Committee
46. Citizens’ initiatives (petition procedure)
47. Ensuring an open, efficient and independent European administration
48. Negotiation of withdrawal agreement
49. Operating rules for a consultative EU Judicial appointments panel (including
composition)
50. Role of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy in CFSP implementing measures (measures proposed by the High Representative following a specific request from the European Council).

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