HC Deb 16 December 1975 vol 902 cc598-9W
Mr. Guy Barnett

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the meeting of the EEC Standing Committee on Employment at which Her Majesty's Government were represented on 4th December 1975.

Mr. John Fraser

The Standing Committee on Employment met in Brussels on 4th December. I represented the United Kingdom Government.

On this occasion the agenda covered a number of items of current business in the social affairs field, the most important of which were the draft directive on equal treatment for men and women workers, the Commission's proposals for further intervention by the Social Fund to help retraining of people in certain industries and regions, further consideration of the problems of young people who are unemployed and the need for concertation of migration policies.

These discussions between Ministers responsible for employment questions and representatives of the two sides of industry at the European level were full and useful, and the views expressed will be taken into account when some of these subjects are considered at the Social Affairs Council on 18th December next.