§ Mr. RookerTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is his estimate of the number of companies and employees in the United Kingdom who will be covered by the proposed European Union directive on works councils.
§ Mr. Michael Forsyth[holding answer 12 April 1994]: The proposed directive will not apply to any companies or employees in the United Kingdom. Research suggests that some 90 UK-owned companies have employees above the proposed threshold levels in the other 11 member states and will therefore be affected by a directive of the Eleven just as they are affected by the domestic law of those countries.