§ Lord Tebbitasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will give estimates of the amount of costs and the expected financial benefits in respect of:
- (a) the United Kingdom; and
- (b) the European Community as a whole which are expected to arise from decisions taken at the Council of Employment Ministers' meeting on 23rd November 1993.
§ Lord HenleyAt the meeting of the Labour and Social Affairs Council on 23rd November, final agreement was reached on a directive on the organisation of working time. The estimated costs of the initial impact of the directive in its earlier form would have been approximately £5.6 billion. However, the Government have secured amendments which will reduce initial costs to around £1.7 billion. Both these figures are at 1992 prices. The Government believe the directive represents a misuse of the health and safety provisions of the Single European Act and accordingly will challenge the legal base of the directive in the European Court when it is formally adopted.
Final agreement was reached on a directive on Health and Safety on board Fishing Vessels. The European Community's (EC) impact assessment indicated that the additional cost for new vessels following implementa-tion of the legislation might represent 3–5 per cent. of their value and for existing vessels up to 15 per cent. of their market value. The directive will, however, affect only a small proportion of the Community's fleet, including 10 per cent. of the fleet in the UK.
The Council reached a common position on a draft directive on the protection of young workers. In earlier 94WA form this directive would have resulted in approximate-ly £145 million extra costs for those employing young workers. The UK has secured, however, the option not to implement key parts of this proposal, and the Directive will thus have no significant effects on present arrangements for the employment of young people in the UK.
Information on the costs of the measures to the EC as a whole is not available.