§ Mr. HendersonTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment which Minister was responsible at the time(a) the manual handling of loads directive 90/269/EEC, (b) the display screen equipment directive 90/270/EEC, 797W (c) the carcinogens directive 90/394/EEC, (d) the biological agents directive 90/679/EEC, (e) the temporary or mobile construction sites directive and (f) the temporary workers' directive 91/383/EEC were agreed; how the United Kingdom voted at the meeting the directives were agreed; and on what date they were agreed.
§ Mr. McLoughlinThe information is as follows:
Directive Date of adoption 90/269/EEC 29 May 1990 90/270/EEC 29 May 1990 90/394/EEC 28 June 1990 90/679/EEC 26 November 1990 91/383/EEC 25 June 1991 Construction sites1 24 June 1992 1 No directive number yet allocated. All the directives, except 90/394/EEC, were agreed during meetings of the Labour and Social Affairs Council. My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment, who was the then Secretary of State for Employment, represented the United Kingdom at the Councils up to and including 25 June 1991. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment represented the United Kingdom at the 24 June 1992 Council.
Directive 90/394/EEC was adopted at the Telecommunications Council. The United Kingdom was represented by my hon. Friend the Member for Mid-Worcestershire (Mr. Forth), the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, acting on advice from Employment Department Ministers in respect of that directive.
The proceedings of the Council of Ministers are confidential.