§ Mr. Stephen O'BrienTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and industry what assessment she has made of the(a) costs and (b) benefits of long hours working for (i) non-manual and (ii) manual workers in the UK. [155289]
§ Mr. SutcliffeThe Department has commissioned and published a two volume study entitled "Working long hours: a review of the evidence" (DTI Employment Relations Research Series No. 16) which summarises the costs and benefits of long hours working for both manual and non-manual workers in the UK. It can be found at the following web address: http://www.dti.gov.uk/er/inform.htm.
§ Michael FabricantTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what position she plans to take in the Council of Ministers on the European Parliament's proposal to end the freedom of employees to work more than 48 hours a week; and if she will make a statement. [156462]
§ Mr. SutcliffeThe Council of Ministers will exchange views on the Commission's Communication published on 5 January 2004 when they meet on 4/5 March.
The UK believes legislation should provide minimum standards of employment protection while maintaining the flexibility our individual labour market requires and which many workers prefer. We believe that maintaining the opt out allows workers choice as well as protection.
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