§ Mr. Haywardasked the Paymaster General what was the outcome of the consideration of the directive on equal treatment between men and women in self-employed occupations at the Council of Labour and Social Affairs Ministers on 11 December.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeAt our meeting on 11 December the Council of Labour and Social Affairs Ministers adopted the directive on equal treatment between men and women in self-employed occupations. The main effect of818W the directive, in the form in which it was adopted, is to remove restrictions in some member states of the European Community, which may hinder women from taking up self-employed occupations. I do not expect the directive to have any significant effect in the United Kingdom where women do not face the legal obstacles to self-employment or employment by their husbands which they face in some other member states.