§ Mr. Llew SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to his answer of 15 February,Official Report, column 703, if he has now decided upon the view on proposals put forward to be taken by his Department in respect of amendments to the EC industrial hazards directive 82/501.
§ Mr. OppenheimThe European Parliament considered amendments suggested by its members to the proposed Council directive on the control of major accident hazards involving dangerous substances at its session on 16 February. The amendment to article 15 of the proposed directive was agreed by the European Parliament, but I understand that the Commission of the European Communities has not accepted it and the amendment will not therefore be put to member states for consideration.
It is the view of the Health and Safety Executive and of the Department of Environment, which jointly lead on negotiations on the proposed directive, that the existing arrangements under directive EC 82/501 for member states to notify the Commission of major accidents has worked well and should continue. But no useful purpose would be served by having a duplicate requirement on member states to provide the same information to another EC institution.