§ Mr. WeirTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what representations her Department has received on the forum considering the implementation of the European Directive on Working Time in the offshore oil and gas industry; [77336]
(2) what recent discussions she has had with representatives of the offshore oil and gas industry on the implementation of the European Working Time Directive in that industry; [77341]
(3) what recent discussions she has had with representatives of workers employed in the offshore oil and gas industry on the implementation of the European Working Time Directive in that industry. [77337]
§ Alan JohnsonThe Horizontal Amending Directive (HAD) (2000/34/EC) entitles workers in the offshore sector to the full provisions of the Working Time Directive (93/104/EC). The HAD was formally adopted on 1 August 2000 and is required to be implemented by 1 August 2003.
I have met with representatives of the offshore oil and gas industry, on 5 September, and have agreed to meet representatives of the Inter Union Offshore Oil Committee (IUOOC) to listen to their views on the implementation of the HAD to workers offshore.
A forum, comprising representatives from all sides of the sector and facilitated by the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS), was set up to assist employers and worker representatives to reach agreement over the implementation of the HAD in the offshore sector. The forum was unable to reach agreement on many issues and DTI officials continue to hold discussions and correspond with those from both sides of the industry.