I agree with my hon. Friend the Member for Newham, South (Mr. Spearing). As a former member of the Select Committee on European Legislation, of which he is Chairman, I know how frustrating it is to find so often that a full debate in the House is not possible and that decisions are taken without the Committee's decisions being discussed first.

As the Minister said, the EBRD was agreed in principle. The decision of the European Council was reported. It did not arrive until late, and the Minister has given the Committee an explanatory memorandum dated 21 June 1990. The Committee considered that on 21 July, but its report has not yet been published. Therefore, the House has not yet formally agreed the principle of the bank. The orders are before us tonight because it will be set up before October and the Government need these measures in order to be party to the bank. I hope that the Government will take note of my hon. Friend's comments, which he has made many times before.

The amount of money involved is not that big compared with other international banks, but it could provide a useful focal point for expertise and coordination. As the Minister has admitted, many of the details are still quite vague—