European Union (Amendment) Bill

I know that noble Lords want to move on but I feel that I should speak very briefly to Amendment No. 14, which is in this group and in my name, and put a very simple question to the Minister, which arises out of the amendment. The amendment would leave out 10 words from amended Article 11 of the TEU—the words, "““and shall comply with the Union’s action in this area””." Do the Government agree that those 10 words represent an advance in EU solidarity in the Council? The words that we had before, in the treaty of Nice, read as follows: "““Member States shall actively and unreservedly support the Union’s common foreign and security policy in a spirit of loyalty and mutual solidarity””." That has been in the treaties for quite some time and is a pious hope of good intention and all the rest of it. But then the treaty says, "““and shall comply with the Union’s action in this area””." Member states are no longer representing their countries’ interests; from this moment on they are complying with the Union’s actions, which are then reinforced by the actions of the new high representative, who is given new discipline in this area. I trust that noble Lords agree that that contribution was refreshingly brief. I look forward to the Minister’s specific reply.