§ Mr. Keith SimpsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the impact of the EU' s 48 Hour Working Week directive on the operational effectiveness of the Armed Forces. [1989]
§ Dr. ReidOur current assessment is that Article 1.3 of the Working Time Directive excludes from its scope most of the activities of the Armed Forces by virtue of its reference to Article 2 of the Health and Safety Framework Directive. We are continuing to assess the precise impact of the Directive and my officials are in consultation with the Department of Trade and Industry, the lead department for this subject.