HC Deb 17 December 1997 vol 303 cc178-9W
Mr. Wicks

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on the outcome of the European Union Social Affairs Council on 15 December. [21669]

Mr. Andrew Smith

The Minister of State, Department of Trade and Industry, my hon. Friend the Member for Makerfield (Mr. McCartney), and I represented the UK at the Social Affairs Council on 15 December.

The Council passed a Resolution adopting the 1998 Employment Guidelines, and committing Member States to produce National Employment Action Plans in time for examination at the Cardiff European Council in June 1998.

The Council adopted two Directives which apply to the United Kingdom the European Works Council and Parental Leave Directives. It also adopted the Part-time Work Directive, under the procedures set out in the Agreement on Social Policy. A Commission proposal to extend this measure to the UK is expected shortly. There was broad agreement on the extension of working-time controls to sectors excluded from the Working-time Directive. The Council had further discussion on the follow-up to the Davignon report on worker participation under the proposed European Company Statute; and my hon. Friend the Minister of State confirmed that the UK Presidency would aim to make further progress on this dossier under its Presidency.

The proposal for a programme of analysis and research of Member States' employment policies was agreed, with a budget of 30 mecu over three years.

There was discussion on the obligations of Member States to bring civil servants in special schemes within the co-ordination mechanism of regulation 1408/71. I confirmed that the UK intended to make progress with this dossier.

The Council adopted the Directive on the Burden of Proof in Sex Discrimination Cases on the basis of the common position agreed in June of this year. A Commission proposal to extend the directive to the UK will be produced shortly.

The Council had a wide-ranging discussion about the follow-up to the Peking conference on women, and explored what Member States were doing by way of mainstreaming, positive actions, and combating violence against women.

The Commission made presentations on the recent ruling by the European Court of Justice in the Marschall case, and on its Action Plan for the Free Movement of Workers.