§ Mr. Cryerasked the Secretary of State for Employment whether there are any provisions under negotiation with the European Economic Community regarding health and safety at work which will affect the provisions of section 14 of the Factories Act 1961; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. LeeThe European Commission is preparing a proposal for a directive to harmonise the laws of the member states relating to the safety of machines. The proposal is not yet in its final form and so negotiations at Council of Ministers level have not yet begun. The Government are being advised on the health and safety aspects of the proposal by the Health and Safety Commission. When the European Commission has completed its proposal it will be published in theOfficial Journal of the European Communities and will be available for consideration by the appropriate Select Committee of this House in the usual way.
It does seem likely that the European Commission's proposal will have a bearing on section 14 of the Factories Act, but this remains to be seen.