§ 11.12 a.m.
§ BARONESS SUMMERSKILLMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
[The Question was as follows:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the six countries of the E.E.C. have agreed to implement equal pay for women by 1975 when equal pay for this country has been made mandatory by Act of Parliament.]
§ THE MINISTER WITHOUT PORTFOLIO (LORD DRUMALBYN)My Lords, Article 119 of the Treaty of Rome requires Member States to apply the principle of equal remuneration for the same work as between men and women workers. Member countries have made progress to this end, but I understand that no timetable for its full implementation is in force.
§ BARONESS SUMMERSKILLMy Lords, while thanking the noble Lord for that Answer, may I ask him Whether it is not the fact that if the countries of the E.E.C. do not synchronise equal pay, our competitive position will be affected?
§ LORD DRUMALBYNMy Lords, I understand that endeavours are being made to synchronise the movement towards equal pay. In fact, since 1964 a Commission has been issuing a report at two year intervals on progress towards equal pay implementation. The Commission intend to bring up to date the information at their disposal, and then make proposals for the removal of existing inequalities.
§ LORD GARDINERMy Lords, would the noble Lord see that copies of these reports are placed in the Library?
§ LORD DRUMALBYNMy Lords, I am not certain that I can do that. Presumably they will not be in English. The last report, in any case, related to the years to December 31, 1968.
§ LORD SHEPHERDMy Lords, I understand that the official language of the E.E.C. countries is French, but that 1289 English is a working language. I should have thought it would be possible for these papers to be provided in English and made available in the Library.
§ LORD DRUMALBYNMy Lords, I understood my noble friend to say that English would be a working language.