HC Deb 29 April 1996 vol 276 cc406-7W
Mr. Steen

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the directives which have affected his Department in each of the past three years and(a) the United Kingdom legislation introduced as a result of the directives, (b) the United Kingdom legislation which goes beyond the minimum standards set out in the directives and (c) the clauses within each piece of United Kingdom legislation which amplify the minimum standards set out in the directives. [27085]

Mr. Howard

Information is not held centrally concerning the directives which affect my Department, and such information could be compiled only at disproportionate cost. However, my Department has taken lead or shared responsibility for the following directives and resulting United Kingdom legislation during the past three years:

  • Directive (92/58/EEC) on the minimum requirements for the provision of safety and/or health signs at work, implemented by the Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996;
  • Directive (92/91/EEC) concerning minimum requirements for improving the safety and health protection of workers in the mineral extracting industries through drilling, implemented by the Borehold Sites and Operations Regulations 1995;
  • Directive (93/96/EEC) on rights of residence for students, implemented by the Immigration (European Economic Area) Order 1994;
  • Directive (93/109/EC) laying down detailed arrangements for the exercise of the right to vote and stand as a candidate in elections to the European Parliament for citizens of the Union in a member state of which they are not nationals, implemented by the European Parliamentary Elections (Changes to the Franchise and Qualification of Representatives) Regulations 1994;
  • 7th directive (94/21/EC) on summer time arrangements, implemented by the Summer Time Order 1994;
  • Directive (94/80/EC) laying down detailed arrangements for the exercise of the right to vote and stand as a candidate in local government elections for citizens of the Union in a member state of which they are not nationals, implemented by the Local Government Elections (Changes to the Franchise and Qualification of Representatives) Regulations 1995;
  • Directive (95/46/EC) on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data, implementation required by 1998.

My Department has not undertaken a comprehensive analysis of United Kingdom implementing legislation to identify where it goes beyond the minimum standards set out in each of the above directives, and could do so only at disproportionate cost. However, it is my Department's policy not to make regulations implementing European directives which add to the burdens imposed by such directives.