HL Deb 24 October 2002 vol 639 cc116-7WA
Lord Graham of Edmonton

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What was the outcome of the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council held on 8 October in Luxembourg. [HL6134]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Work and Pensions (Baroness Hollis of Heigham)

This was the first meeting of the new Council formation as reconfigured at Seville. Its relatively light agenda was weighted towards employment and social policy issues. There were no consumer affairs dossiers on the agenda, and only one health item was tabled. My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, accompanied by my right honourable friend the Minister of State for Employment Relations and the Regions, represented the UK.

The key discussion centred on the review of the European employment strategy (EES). The Council endorsed the opinion of the Employment Committee and Economic Policy Committee on the future of the EES, which makes more explicit the linkages between the EES and achieving the targets set at Lisbon in 2000. The Employment Committee will now draft an opinion on streamlining the Employment Guidelines and Broad Economic Policy Guidelines. Discussions will continue at the December ESPHCA and it is expected that the new strategy will be signed off at the spring Council in 2003.

The Presidency presented two progress reports without discussion: on agency work, which is likely to appear on the agenda for December's ESPHCA; and on a revised proposal for a directive protecting workers from the risks of exposure to electromagnetic fields and waves, which was remitted for further technical work. The chairman of the Social Protection Committee reported that the committee would agree new objectives on social inclusion at the end of October 2002. These would be approved at the European Council in Copenhagen in December. The chairman also drew attention to two reports for the 2003 spring Council: on long-term care for the elderly and the recently submitted national strategy reports on pensions.

The Council held a brief debate on gender and marginalisation in the context of national action plans on inclusion (NAPs incl). The Presidency called for more work to be done on appropriate indicators. All member states agreed to give greater prominence to gender in the 2003 round of NAPS incl.

In relation to health issues, the Council discussed the advertising, promotion and sponsorship of tobacco products elements of the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. The Council agreed on how to proceed in light of the forthcoming negotiating round (the fifth) of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body in Geneva (14–25 October 2002).

Under any other business, the Presidency outlined how the Council would follow up the Johannesburg World Summit on Sustainable Development with a letter to the President of the General and External Affairs Council. There would be Council conclusions in December. The Commission presented its plans for a communication on the rights of disabled people and for a conference on trafficking in humans.

Over lunch, Ministers had a political discussion on the proposal for the replacement of the Standing Committee on Employment with a tripartite social summit on growth and employment.