HC Deb 19 October 1989 vol 158 c222W
Mr. Andrew Mitchell

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the European Community Labour and Social Affairs Council held in Brussels on 29 September.

Mrs. Gillian Shephard

I attended this Council on behalf of the United Kingdom. The meeting was very constructive. Ministers exchanged views on a number of wide-ranging items, including family policies and the possibility of a co-ordinated approach to the problems of disability. Agreement was reached on a resolution on possible measures for combating the social exclusion of disadvantaged groups. There was also some discussion of the social security provisions for workers moving between member states and of the need for extension of social protection schemes in fields such as occupational pensions.

Ministers agreed to support European Community study of the practicalities of introducing a durable plastic card version of form E111 (to obtain emergency health care in the EC).

Proposals for amending the family benefit provisions of the regulations (1408/71) dealing with social security benefits for migrant workers in the light of the European Court of Justice judgment in the Pinna case were agreed by 11 member states including the United Kingdom, but Italy maintained a reserve on the proposal, which needed unanimity. The issue was, therefore, deferred for further consideration.