HC Deb 17 February 1997 vol 290 cc399-400W
Sir Ralph Howell

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will list the directions relating to employment in force in the EU and indicate which are issued under the social chapter. [15990]

Mr. Paice

Fourteen directives relating to employment are currently in force in the EU. There are a number of other directives on health and safety at work.

Directives falling within the policy responsibilities of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Employment: Council directive 75/117/EEC on the approximation of the laws of the member states relating to the application of the principle of equal pay for men and women. Council directive 76/207/EEC on the implementation of the principle of equal treatment for men and women as regards access to employment, vocational training and promotion, and working conditions. Council directive 86/613/EEC on the application of the principle of equal treatment between men and women engaged in an activity, including agriculture, in a self-employed capacity, and on the protection of self-employed women during pregnancy and motherhood. Directives falling within the policy responsibility of my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade: Council directive 75/129/EEC on the approximation of the laws of the member states relating to collective redundancies. Council directive 77/187/EEC on the approximation of the laws of member states relating to the safeguarding of employees' rights in the event of transfers of undertakings, businesses or parts of businesses. Council directive 80/987/EEC on the approximation of the laws of member states relating to the protection of employees in the event of the insolvency of their employer. Council directive 91/533/EEC on an employer's obligation to inform employees of the conditions applicable to the contract or employment relationship. Council directive 92/56/EEC amending directive 75/129/EEC on the approximation of the laws of member states relating to collective redundancies. Council directive 92/85/EEC on the introduction of measures to encourage the safety and health of pregnant workers and workers who have recently given birth or are breastfeeding-this directive includes provisions related to employment. Council directive 94/104/EC concerning certain aspects of the organisation of working time. Council directive 94/33/EC on the protection of young people at work. *Council directive 94/45/EC on the establishment of a European works council or a procedure in community-scale undertakings and community-scale groups of undertakings, for the purposes of informing and consulting employees. *Council directive 96/34/EC on the framework agreement on parental leave concluded by UNICE, CEEP and the ETUC. Council directive 96/71/EC concerning the posting of workers in the framework of the provision of services.

Directives marked with an asterisk have been ' promulgated under the agreement on social policy, known as the social chapter, and are not, therefore, applicable to the UK.