§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the mandate of the Leonardo da Vinci Committee is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if she will list the items currently under its consideration; if he will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if she will make a statement. [56719]
§ Mr. Ivan LewisThe purpose of the Leonardo da Vinci Committee is set out in the Council decision 1999/382/EC of 26 April 1999, which established the second phase of the Leonardo programme. The Leonardo Committee has met three times over the last 12 Months. Travel expenses were met from Commission resources. Two officials from the UK attend the meetings. The subsistence cost incurred by this Department was £1,560.
Together with member states, the Commission is currently conducting a review to bring existing legislation on the conduct of comitology committees into line with Council Decision 1999/468/EC, to "simplify the 274W requirements for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission". As an obligation to this Decision, the Commission undertook to publish an annual report on the working of committees. The first report was deposited in the Libraries of both Houses on 26 February 2002 (Com(2001)783 Final). As part of the review process, the UK Government has encouraged the Commission to produce and maintain an electronic database of every comitology committee, its agendas and recent actions, to be accessible through its website.
§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the mandate of the Advisory Committee on Vocational Training is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if she will list the items currently under its consideration; if she will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if she will make a statement. [56720]
§ Mr. Ivan LewisThe Advisory Committee on Vocational Training (ACVT) was established by Council Decision no. 63/266/EEC dated 2 April 1963 which laid down general principles for implementing a common vocational training policy across the EU. Its purpose is to offer advice and submit opinions to the European Commission on vocational training policy which the Commission is obliged to take account of. It has met twice in the last 12 months.
The UK is represented by two officials from the Department for Education and Skills, the Trade Unions Congress (TUC) and the Confederation of British Industry (CBI).
Costs to UK public funds were limited to the officials' expenses, approximately £2,660, less any reimbursements provided by the European Commission.
At its next meeting, ACVT is considering a number of vocational training and related items.
Together with member states, the Commission is currently conducting a review to bring existing legislation on the conduct of comitology committees into line with Council Decision 1999/468/EC, to "simplify the requirements for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission". As an obligation to this Decision, the Commission undertook to publish an annual report on the working of committees. The first report was deposited in the Libraries of both Houses on 26 February 2002 (Com(2001)783 Final). As part of the review process, the UK Government has encouraged the Commission to produce and maintain an electronic database of every comitology committee, its agendas and recent actions, to be accessible through its website.