§ 47. Dame Joan Vickersasked the Secretary of State for Social Services when Her Majesty's Government will sign the European Convention on Social Security.
§ Sir K. JosephHer Majesty's Government support the general principles of the European Convention on Social Security, but the changes proposed in the Social Security Bill now before Parliament and the possible introduction of a tax credits scheme make it desirable to defer a decision in the signature of the convention untol the effects of such measures can be assessed. This country already has social security reciprocal agreements with all the Council of Europe member States, except Iceland, which achieve most of the purposes of this convention.