I remind members and those in the Visitors' Gallery to ensure their mobile phones and BlackBerrys are switched off completely for the duration of the meeting as they cause interference even if on silent mode with the recording equipment in the committee rooms.

The minutes of the meeting of 17 December 2009 have been circulated. Are the minutes agreed? Agreed.

We have one item of EU scrutiny concerning decisions taken by the Joint Committee on European Scrutiny on 12 January 2010. No proposals have been referred to the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs. It is proposed that this be noted. Is that agreed? Agreed.