HC Deb 23 July 1997 vol 298 cc661-2W
Mr. Fallon

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will estimate the total number of employees and self-employed in the United Kingdom in each sector currently excluded from the working time directive, indicating the number in each sector estimated to be non-mobile workers. [9935]

Mr. Ian McCartney

The working time directive excludes certain sectors of activity. The tables provide a broad estimate of the number of workers, both employees and self-employed, in certain sectors and the number of mobile workers in transport sectors. There are, in addition to the numbers in the tables, an estimated 285,000 non-mobile workers in transport-related occupations.

UK employment in sectors excluded from the working time directive (employees and self-employed)
Other excluded sectors1 Total in employment
Other work at sea (i.e. offshore workers) 30,000
Junior doctors 27,000
Sea fishing 20,000
1 Various sources.

Transport sector1 Mobile workers
Air 46,000
Road 674,000
Rail 38,000
Sea and inland waterway 45,000
1 Source: LFS, Autumn 1996.

Mr. Fallon

To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) if she will estimate the cost to business in the United Kingdom of extending the full provisions of the working time directive to all non-mobile workers; [9934]

(2) if she will estimate the cost to business in the United Kingdom of extending to all mobile and off-shore workers the provisions of the working time directive regarding breaks, paid annual leave, health assessments for night workers and guarantees of adequate rest and maximum number of hours to be worked annually. [9933]

Mr. McCartney

It is not yet possible to make a meaningful estimate of the costs of extending the provisions of the working time directive to all sectors of activity currently excluded, because we do not have enough details on how any extension would operate. Responses to the proposals in the Commissions's recent White Paper on the subject may give us a better indication of potential costs and benefits.

Mr. Lock

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans she has to issue a further consultation document on the implications of the working time directive. [10085]

Mr. McCartney

We are currently finalising our implementation proposals which we aim to bring forward shortly.