HC Deb 13 December 1977 vol 941 cc260-1
15. Mr. Dykes

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when he next plans to visit Brussels to meet his opposite numbers in the other EEC member States.

Mr. John Grant

My right hon. Friend has no plans at present to visit Brussels. I expect to attend when the Council of Ministers (Social Affairs) and the Standing Committee on Employment next meet, but no dates have yet been fixed.

Mr. Dykes

I am sorry that the Secretary of State is not going to Brussels soon. The hon. Gentleman referred just now to building up world trade in order to try to counteract unemployment in the Western world. Would it not be a good idea for the Secretary of State when he next goes to a social affairs meeting, to discuss the Social Fund, its inadequate size and the need to build it up, so that more money can be given to the United Kingdom by way of anti-unemployment assistance and, specifically, aid for young unemployed people and vocational training?

Mr. Grant

I might say that my right hon. Friend is going to Paris this week for the OECD discussions, and he will have an opportunity there to talk to his colleagues from other countries. The whole matter is in safe hands, and I can assure the hon. Gentleman that I have suggested already that there should be an increase in the resources of the Social Fund for the purposes he has outlined.

Mr. Gould

Will my hon. Friend confirm that the European Commission is currently investigating the temporary employment subsidy because it believes that it is contrary to the rules of fair competition under the Treaty of Rome? Does he agree that, if that subsidy were to be struck down by the Commission, it would be a sad day for working people in this country because it is by far the most effective form of job protection produced by this Government?

Mr. Grant

My right hon. Friend has already answered this question. However, informal discussions are going on. I think that both my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and the Prime Minister have made very clear the importance which they place upon the temporary employment subsidy. If any action were taken which undermined the effectiveness or the basic purpose of that subsidy, we should be gravely concerned. I hope that that will not arise.