§ Mr. Hunterasked the Secretary of State for Employment what discussions within the United Kingdom and what negotiations with other member states of the European Communities he has had about the draft directive on the protection of workers from noise at work since the debate in the House on 7 December 1983; and whether he will make a statement on the policy of the Government towards the draft and particularly on article 4 of it and the amendments to that article recommended to the European Parliament by its Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Protection.
§ Mr. GummerSince 7 December I have continued to receive representations about this draft directive, and it has been further discussed between officials of the member states within the framework of the Council of Ministers. The Government's policy towards the European Commission's proposal, including Article 4 (which would lay down maximum permissible levels of exposure to noise and provide for a transitional period to make allowance for situations where immediate compliance with them was not reasonably feasible), remains that which I set out in the debate.
I have noted with interest the amendments to Article 4 which were recommended to the European Parliament by its Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Protection, particularly that which would fix the maximum daily sound exposure level to which the ear of a worker might be subjected at 90 dB(A) rather than 85 dB(A). However, I am informed that on 20 January the 360W European Parliament decided in plenary session to refer the relevant report back to the Committee and I understand that the matter is not yet resolved.