§ Mr. CashTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment which provisions on social and employment legislation defined by the agreement on social policy concluded between 11 member states of the European Community at Maastricht are also covered by articles 118a and 100a of the treaty of Rome.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythArticle 118a of the treaty of Rome provides for the adoption of directives establishing minimum requirements as regards workers' health and safety. Article 100a provides for the adoption of measures to assist the establishment or functioning of the internal market, but provisions
relating to the rights and interests of employed personsare among those excluded from its scope.
The United Kingdom is not a party to the separate agreement on social policy concluded between the other member states. The coverage and interpretation of that agreement's provisions are matters for the member states that signed it and, in the final analysis, for the European Court of Justice once the Maastricht treaty has entered into force.
1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 (a) Fatal injuries in construction Employees 99 103 101 100 96 Self-employed 26 40 36 54 28 Members of the public 14 15 14 11 9 All persons 139 158 151 165 133 (b) Major injuries1 in construction Employees 2,736 2,767 2,907 3,180 2,907 Self-employed 443 561 753 927 931 Members of the public 162 153 132 113 123 All persons 3,341 3,481 3,792 4,220 3,961 1As defined under regulation 3(1) of the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR), 1985. The Government and the Health and Safety Commission have recognised for some years that there needs to be a new approach to improve the management of health and safety in construction. Today, the commission is launching a major consultative document