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Solotec

Mr. Byers: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment on what date Solotec inherited responsibility for courses organised by Sight and Sound which had originally been entered into by South Thames training and enterprise council. [27273]

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Mr. Paice: A contract was signed between Solotec and Sight and Sound on 24 April 1995.

Training and Enterprise Councils

Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, pursuant to her answer of 23 April, Official Report, column 102, if the letters to the regional offices in relation to the training and enterprise councils dated 22 March named particular training provider companies. [27315]

Mr. Paice: Yes.

Jobseeker's Allowance

Mr. Rooney: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if Employment Service staff based in jobcentres will take adjudication decisions on benefit sanctions for claimants of jobseeker's allowance.[27101]

Mr. Forth: All adjudication decisions on jobseeker's allowance will be made by independent adjudication officers. Decisions on the refusal of a jobseeker on principle to enter into a jobseeker's agreement, decisions connected with training schemes or employment programmes under section 19(5)(b) of the Jobseekers Act 1995 and decisions on the failure of a jobseeker to attend an Employment Service interview as required will normally be made by those independent officers located in jobcentres. All other labour market adjudication decisions will be made in centralised locations. We will in due course consider whether more independent adjudication will take place in jobcentres.

EU Nationals

Mr. Rooney: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if EU nationals can count periods of unemployment and receipt of benefit in another EU country towards the elibility qualifying period for (a) training for work and (b) other Employment Service programmes. [27102]

Mr. Forth: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my colleague, the then Minister of State for Employment, to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood, (Ms Short) on 22 March 1995, Official Report, column 245.

Project Work

Mr. Rooney: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what action will be taken against claimants who decline to participate in the job search element of project work. [27103]

Mr. Forth: The first 13 weeks of job search activity on the project work pilots is voluntary. Unemployed people will be offered extra help to find work through a range of opportunities including: 1-2-1 interviews, jobclub, jobfinder's grant, work trials, training for work and some specialist opportunities for people with disabilities. No action will be taken against clients who decline places on programmes.

Those who are then referred to project work experience will be required to attend three hours' supervised job search a week. Those who fail to do this without good cause may be subject to benefit sanctions.

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All people participating in the pilots are expected to meet benefit conditions and show that they are actively seeking and available for work; normal adjudication action will be taken for people who do not meet these conditions or refuse employment.

National Vocational Qualifications

Mr. Byers: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment for which training providers the London chamber of commerce and industry verify and award NVQ certificates. [27119]

Mr. Paice: The Department does not hold this information. The National Council for Vocational Qualifications, as accrediting body for NVQs, is provided with details of approved NVQ centres by the London chamber of commerce and industry examinations board under the status of commercial in confidence.

Mr. Byers: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will investigate the circumstances surrounding the award of business administration and information technology NVQ qualifications by the London chamber of commerce and industry for courses provided by Sight and Sound and funded by Solotec.[27120]

Mr. Paice: I understand that the National Council for Vocational Qualifications is undertaking an investigation into this matter. The Department is being kept fully informed and will received a copy of the report when it is finalised.

Mr. Byers: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will carry out a comprehensive review of the way in which NVQs are awarded. [27121]

Mr. Paice: NVQs were the subject of a comprehensive review by Gordon Beaumont who reported on the 100 most used NVQs and Scottish vocational qualifications in January. I have agreed an action plan, published on 27 March, in response to his recommendations, which includes actions relating to assessment, verification and certification of awards. These are being taken forward by NCVQ under a major programme of work which is sponsored by this Department.

Mr. Byers: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what steps she has taken to ensure that the London chamber of commerce and industry is a suitable body to issue NVQ certificates; [27130]

(2) if she will investigate the suitability of the London chamber of commerce and industry verifiers to assess NVQ portfolios. [27131]

Mr. Paice: The National Council for Vocational Qualifications is responsible for regulating the NVQ system and its quality. The council regularly reviews the performance of awarding bodies to ensure that they have adequate arrangements and resources for quality assurance and that systems approved at the time of NVQ accreditation continue to operate effectively. The council has recently agreed a plan with the London chamber of commerce and industry examinations board requiring

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strengthening of arrangements for centre approval, external verification and internal verification.

Mr. Byers: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when the Government office for London was first informed about concerns surrounding the award of NVQs by the London chamber of commerce and industry for students attending courses organised by Sight and Sound. [27129]

Mr. Paice: The Government office for London first became aware about concerns surrounding the award of NVQs following information from Solotec on 16 April 1996.

TRANSPORT

Lorry Drivers (Eyesight Requirements)

Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to receive the information from the relevant national authorities on eyesight requirements for lorry drivers required by the second European directive on driving licences, 91/439/EEC. [27072]

Mr. Norris: We have received replies from some, and are awaiting replies from other EU member states. We hope to receive outstanding replies shortly.

EU Directives

Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the directives which have affected his Department in each of the past three years and (a) the legislation introduced as a result of the directives, (b) the legislation which goes beyond the minimum standards set out in the directives and (c) the clauses within each piece of legislation which amplify the minimum standards set out in the directives. [27080]

Mr. Norris: The relevant directives are listed in the following table, along with the United kingdom legislation introduced as a result. In our view, in no case does the legislation go beyond the minimum standards required by the directive in question. It is intended that this should also be the case for legislation still in preparation.

Number	Title and description of Community Instrument	United Kingdom legislation
93/103/EEC	Minimum safety and health requirements for work on board fishing vessels	Implementation in progress.
93/116/EEC	Council Directive relating to interior fittings of motor vehicles	Motor Vehicles (EC Type Approval) (Amendment) Regulations 1994
93/12/EEC	Council Directive relating to sulphur content of certain liquid fuels	Motor Fuels (Composition and Content) Regulations 1994
93/14/EEC	Council Directive on the braking of two- or three-wheel motor vehicles	Currently consulting on changes to Construction and Use regulations.
93/29/EEC	Council Directive on the identification of controls, tell-tales and indicators for two- or three-wheel motor vehicles	Not yet implemented.
93/30/EEC	Council Directive on audible warning devices for two- or three- wheel motor vehicles	Not yet implemented.
93/31/EEC	Council Directive on stands for two-wheel motor vehicles	Not yet implemented.
93/32/EEC	Council Directive on passenger hand-holds on two-wheel motor vehicles	Not yet implemented.
93/33/EEC	Council Directive on protective device as intended to prevent the unauthorised use of two- or three-wheel motor vehicles	Not yet implemented.
93/34/EEC	Council Directive on statutory markings for two- or three-wheel motor vehicles	Not yet implemented.
93/59/EEC	Commission Directive relating to measures to be taken against air pollution by emissions from motor vehicles	Motor Vehicles (EC Type Approval) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 1993 and and The Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 1993
93/75/EEC	Reporting requirements for ships carrying dangerous or polluting goods	Merchant Shipping (Reporting Requirements for Ships Carrying Dangerous or Polluting Goods) Regulations 1995
93/81/EEC	Commission Directive relating to type approval of motor vehicles and trailers	Motor Vehicles (EC Type Approval) (Amendment) Regulations 1994
93/89/EEC	Council Directive on the application of taxes on certain vehicles used for the carriage of dangerous goods by road and tolls and charges for the use of certain infrastructure	No legislation required.
93/89/EEC	Council Directive on the application by Member States of taxes on certain vehicles used for the carriage of goods by road and tolls and charges for the use of certain infrastructure	No legislation required.
93/91/EEC	Commission Directive adapting to technical progress Council Directive 78/316/EEC (Controls and Tell-tales)	Motor Vehicles (EC Type Approval) (Amendment) Regulations 1994
93/92/EEC	Council Directive on the installation of lighting and light signalling devices on two- or three-wheel motor vehicles	Not yet implemented.
94/12/EC	European Parliament and Council Directive relating to measures to be taken against air pollution by emissions from motor vehicles.	Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) (Amendment) (No. 5) Regulations 1995
94/20/EC	Council Directive relating to the mechanical coupling devices of motor vehicles and their trailers and their attachments to those vehicles	Motor Vehicles (EC Type Approval) (Amendment) Regulations 1995
94/53/EEC	Commission Directive relating to interior fittings (e.g. identification of controls) of motor vehicles	Motor Vehicles (EC Type Approval) (Amendment) Regulations 1995
94/55/EC	Council Directive on the approximation of the laws of the Member States with regard to the transport of dangerous goods by road	UK implementing legislation in preparation.
94/56/EC	Council Directive establishing the fundamental principles governing the investigation of civil aviation accidents and incidents	UK legislation (Civil Aviation (Investigation of Air Accidents) Regulations 1989) currently being amended. Minimum implementation planned.
94/57/EC	Council Directive on common rules and standards for ship inspection and survey organisations and for the relevant activities of maritime administrations
94/58/EC	Council Directive on the minimum level of training for seafarers	Implementation in progress
94/68/EC	Commission Directive adapting to technical progress Council Directive 78/318/EEC (wash wipe)	Motor Vehicles (EC Type Approval) (Amendment) Regulations 1995
94/78/EC	Commission Directive adapting to technical progress Council Directive 78/549/EEC (wheel guards)	Motor Vehicles (EC Type Approval) (Amendment) Regulations 1995
95/EEC	Council Directive on statistical returns in respect of goods and passengers carried by sea	UK implementing legislation under consideration
95/01/EC	European Parliament and Council Directive on the maximum design speed, maximum torque and maximum net engine power of two-and three-wheel motor vehicles	Not yet implemented
95/18/EEC	Council Directive on the licensing of railway undertakings
95/19/EEC	Council Directive on the allocation of railway infrastructure capacity and the charging of infrastructure fees
95/21/EC	Council Directive concerning the enforcement, in respect of shipping using Community ports and sailing in the waters under the jurisdiction of the Member States of international standards for ship safety, pollution prevention and shipboard living and working conditions (port state control)	Merchant Shipping (Port State Control) Regulations 1995
95/28/EC	Council Directive on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the burning behaviour of materials used in interior construction of certain categories of motor vehicle	Not yet implemented. Minimum implementation planned.
95/28/EC	European Parliament and Council Directive on the flammability of materials used in interiors of certain types of vehicles	Not yet implemented. Minimum implementation planned.
95/48/EC	Commission Directive relating to masses and dimensions of category M1 motor vehicles	Not yet implemented.
95/50/EEC	Council Directive on uniform procedures for checks on the transport of dangerous goods by road	No legislation required
95/54/EC	Commission Directive relating to suppression of radio interference and to type approval of motor vehicles and their trailers	Not yet implemented.
95/56/EC	Commission Directive relating to devices to prevent the unauthorised use of motor vehicles	Not yet implemented.

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