EU Presidency (Children) (Hansard, 31 March 1998)

HC Deb 31 March 1998 vol 309 cc457-8W 457W

§ Mrs. Gorman
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Ludlow (Mr. Gill) of 13 March 1998,Official Report, column 402, what discussions he held with the Department for Education and Employment on the use of schoolchildren to promote the United Kingdom's presidency of the European Union prior to launch; and what subsequent representations he has received from that department. [37007]

§ Mr. Doug Henderson
As I said in my answer to the hon. Member the Member for Ludlow (Mr. Gill) on 13 March 1998,Official Report, column 402, the intention behind the activities for young people which we have organised is not to use children to promote the Presidency, but to encourage them to become involved.
458W
We have worked closely with the Department for Education and Employment from the outset in considering how to involve young people in the Presidency. Our two Departments, for example, jointly produced the schools pack—Partners In Europe. There was also a joint launch of various activities and competitions for young people during the Presidency, notably the DfEE's "Celebrating Europe" and the FCO's "Ambassador for a Day" competitions. We remain in close touch with the Department for Education and Employment about these activities.

§ Mrs. Gorman
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the use of children to launch events commemorating the UK Presidency of the European Union in British embassies in EU countries. [36976]

§ Mr. Doug Henderson
One British embassy in another EU country invited children to an event marking the start of our Presidency of the EU. Our Embassy in Stockholm organised a tea-party to which the Ambassador invited his EU colleagues, asking them to bring a child who would like to "represent" the younger generation of their country. The children were not used to launch the event, but were invited to attend and meet their ambassadors and one other.
Other than this specific event, many of our embassies in the EU regularly involve local school children in debates, competitions, open days and so on, to help increase their understanding of modern Britain and to explain where Britain stands on a range of issues. At the moment, these obviously include the Presidency.
In addition, all our EU embassies are finding attachments for the prize winners in the FCO's Ambassador for a Day competition.