§ Mrs. Rosie BarnesTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many nations within the Council of Europe were represented by Ministers at the third conference of Ministers responsible for youth, in Lisbon on 19 to 22 September; which Ministers represented the United Kingdom; and what action the Government intends to take to implement the decisions of the conference.
§ Mr. Alan HowarthEighteen member states of the Council of Europe were represented by Ministers at the Lisbon conference on youth mobility. The United Kingdom, which was represented by officials, abstained from voting on the conference resolutions. The United Kingdom Government recognise the potential benefits of freedom of movement in Europe, and will explore how best to mitigate or overcome specific barriers to youth 289W mobility within existing legal provisions. We do not consider however that formal international legal instruments provide the best means to achieve this. I have placed in the Library a copy of the conference's final text which includes a declaration by the United Kingdom.