§ Mr. Foulkesasked the Secretary of State for Employment what discussions he has had with his EEC counterparts concerning unemployment within the EEC; and what steps he has taken as a result.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyMy right hon. Friend met Community colleagues on 8 February for informal discussions, and since then has had bilateral meetings with the French, Luxembourg, Irish and Italian Ministers and with Commissioners Pfeiffer and Sutherland. At these meetings we have urged that unemployment should be the top priority, that all new proposals from the Commission to the Council of Ministers should include an assessment of their impact on jobs and that proposals currently before the Council that would increase costs, impose further labour market rigidities and destroy jobs, should be dropped.