§ Lord Dykesasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will seek advice from other European Union member states on how to increase productivity in the United Kingdom in the context of their own advice to member states on deregulation as part of the Lisbon Agenda. [HL655]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Lord Sainsbury of Turville)I and my colleagues regularly meet our counterparts in European Union member states to discuss a range of issues, including how to increase productivity across the EU.
The EU has set ambitious goals for productivity through the Lisbon Agenda. The UK is fully supportive of this agenda, which seeks to drive up competitiveness and EU prosperity through a wide-ranging programme to develop, among other things, better regulation, innovation and skills.
International studies regularly rate the UK as among the best in the EU for low regulation and good conditions for business.