§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on the impact of the decisions made by the European Commission in its meeting of 7 June on equal rights legislation in the United Kingdom; and what his policy is thereon. [127185]
§ Ms JowellOn 7 June the European Commission adopted a Communication on a Community framework strategy on gender equality 2001–05. The strategy includes a proposal that there be a Council Decision on a support programme. The Commission also adopted a proposal that there be a European Parliament and Council Directive amending the Equal Treatment Directive (76/207) on equality for men and women. The Government will study each of the proposals carefully (including any impact on domestic legislation such as the 549W Sex Discrimination Act 1975) and report to Parliament in accordance with the usual procedures for scrutiny of European legislative proposals.