§ Mr. Gwilym Robertsasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the meeting held by EEC Social Affairs Ministers on 30th April 1976 at which Her Majesty's Government was represented.
§ Mr. John GrantAt the Council of Social Affairs Ministers held in Luxemburg on 30th April the United Kingdom was represented by the Under-Secretary of State for Employment.
The Council reached agreement on a proposal for a second European Social Budget, on a regulation to amend the Community's Social Security Regulations and on the rules of procedure of the Advisory Committee on Safety, Hygiene and Health Protection at Work.
At the request of the United Kingdom, the Council discussed the unemployment 105W situation in the Community taking account of the opinion on this subject from the Economic and Social Committee and views expressed of the European Trades Union Confederation, and in preparation for the tripartite economic and social conference to be held this summer.
There was also an exchange of views in preparation for the ILO's world employment conference to be held in Geneva in June.
Meeting informally, Ministers also had a preliminary exchange of views on the European Social Fund, which is due for review in 1977.