§ Lord O'Haganasked Her Majesty's Government:
Which legislative proposals contained in the European Commission's Social Action Programme they now reject unequivocally.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Employment (Viscount Ullswater)The Government have consistently made clear that they will assess each proposal under the Social Action Programme on its individual merits, against the criteria unanimously agreed by all member states at the Madrid European Summit in June 1989 and reaffirmed at the Rome summit in December 1990: that job creation and development should have top priority, that the principle of subsidiarity should be respected, and that account should be taken of the diversity of custom and practice across the Community. The requirements of the treaty must also be fully respected.
The United Kingdom will oppose proposals for Community legislation which do not satisfy these criteria and which threaten job opportunities and international competitiveness.