§ Mrs. Chalkerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what action she has taken to implement those parts of the EEC social action programme that fall within her Department's responsibility.
§ Mr. O'MalleyThe parts of the social action programme in which my Department is actively involved concern proposals to combat poverty and to fit the handicapped for full employment, and the extension of social protection to categories of persons at present inadequately covered. The Commission is expected to propose shortly to the Council a programme of pilot projects to combat poverty and, if the Council agrees, I shall be considering with my colleagues ways in which the United Kingdom might participate. The United Kingdom has already applied for aid from the European Social Fund towards the cost of schemes to rehabilitate the handicapped. The extension of social protection is still at the stage of discussion at official level with the Commission.