HC Deb 03 April 1996 vol 275 cc311-2W
Sir Michael Grylls

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the outcome of the EC Social Affairs Council meeting held on 29 March. [25116]

Mr. John M. Taylor

I attended the EC Social Affairs Council meeting on 29 March in Brussels with my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Social Security. There were no formal votes involving the UK.

There was an open discussion on the future of social protection, at which my hon. Friend the Member for Gedling (Mr. Mitchell) represented the UK. He recognised the similar challenges facing member states —aging populations, affordability and efficiency—and emphasised the need to take decisions about social security at national level.

The other 14 member states agreed the directive on parental leave, subject to German parliamentary scrutiny. This directive is based on the Maastrict agreement on social policy and does not apply to the UK.

Political agreement was reached on a common position on the draft directive on the posting of workers. The UK and Portugal opposed the agreement.

There were Commission presentations on a Commission communication on Community structural policies and employment, and on a Commission communication on worker information and consultation.

The Presidency announced that there would be an interim progress report at the Florence European Council on employment matters and confirmed details of forthcoming events to consider Presdent Santer's proposed "confidence pact".