§ Mr. RosindellTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement in response to the four points identified by the Council Recommendation 2002/178/EC on the implementation of member states' employment policies, pertaining to the United Kingdom. [57904]
§ Mr. Nicholas BrownI have been asked to reply.
The four points relating to the UK raise issues concerning: national social partnership on productivity, skills and work organisation; reducing the gender pay gap and improving child care provision; active labour market policies for unemployed adults; and work based training to address skill gaps and improve skills.
The recommendations to the UK have been fully addressed in the 2002 Employment Action Plan which is being supplied to the Library and put on the Internet. The Government's response highlights developments since the 2001 Plan, including: work of the CBI and TUC under the Productivity Challenge; the Kingsmill report on closing the gender pay gap; the increasing focus on wider disadvantage; and the Performance Innovation Unit report on work force development.