§ Sir Richard BodyTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on his Department's policy on the merging of Youth for Europe and the European Voluntary Service after 1999, with reference to the continuation of projects designed to foster European identity. [55343]
§ Mr. MudieThe Youth for Europe and European Voluntary Service programmes provide opportunities for young people to forge links with others in the Community who share their interests and concerns and thereby to gain greater understanding of other cultures and ways of life. Such activities contribute to the personal and social education of young people and to the development of responsible citizenship. The programmes are scheduled to1002W conclude at the end of 1999. The Commission has published proposals for a successor youth programme which would incorporate youth exchange and voluntary service activities and other measures. The Government are participating positively in negotiations with other Member States on the terms of the new programme which is intended to come into force in the year 2000.
§ Sir Richard BodyTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on the introduction of the Europass to record work-related training; and if the Europass will contain(a) a microchip and (b) a photograph. [55404]
§ Mr. MudieThe Europass will be a voluntary community-wide document, recording periods of work-linked training undertaken in a Member State other than the one in which the training is based. It comes into effect on 1 January 2000. The period of training will count towards a course of training being undertaken in the home Member State. It will complement at European level national systems for recording vocational training.
It falls to each Member State to implement the Europass. My officials are currently considering which agency is best placed to manage this process over the next 15 months.
There is no requirement for the Europass to contain a microchip or a photograph when it comes into effect.
§ Sir Richard BodyTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on the function and purpose of(a) the Eurodesk and (b) the youth card network of the Youth for Europe programme. [55379]