13 Implementation of Member States' employment
policies
| (24450)
8460/03
COM(03) 177
| Commission Recommendation for a Council Recommendation on the implementation of Member States' employment policies.
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| Legal base | Article 128(4) EC; consultation; qualified majority voting
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| Department | Work and Pensions
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| Basis of consideration | Minister's letter of 20 May 2003
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| Previous Committee Report | HC 63-xxi (2002-03), paragraph 4 (14 May 2003)
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| To be discussed in Council | 2-3 June 2003
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| Committee's assessment | Politically important
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| Committee's decision | Cleared
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Background
13.1 The Recommendation on the implementation of Member States'
employment policies outlines the Commission's proposed Council
recommendations to individual Member States on their employment
policies. The recommendations are intended to provide Member
States with specific guidance for the implementation of the Employment
Guidelines, focussing on key areas for action.
13.2 When we considered the document last week, we were disappointed
that the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department
of Work and Pensions (Mr Malcolm Wicks) did not give any indication
of his view of the recommendations directed at the UK. We kept
the proposal under scrutiny, and asked for his comments.
The Minister's letter
13.3 The Minister has now responded. He tells us:
"The Government welcomes the four Recommendations. The issues
covered — prevention and activation, labour supply, gender
equality and social partnership — go to the very heart of
the Employment Strategy and it is right that the Council should
highlight these as areas of particular importance. The Government
agrees with the Council that these are issues where further action
is required.
"In our National Acton Plan we propose to respond to the
Recommendations as follows:
— On Recommendation 1, we will report on the development
of UK policy to provide all jobseekers with a full range of support
to help them back into work. This will focus in particular on
measures being taken to help disadvantaged groups through early
access to the New Deal.
— On Recommendation 2 we will focus in particular on
the development of Jobcentre Plus and tax credits as the principal
means for ensuring that people have the support and incentives
needed to move them into work. We will also report on progress
toward modernising sickness and disability benefits as a means
of helping inactive people back into the labour market.
— On Recommendation 3 on gender equality we will be
reporting on the Government's multifaceted approach including
measures on equal pay, and maternity rights in the Employment
Act 2002, and increased investment in child care provision.
— On Recommendation 4 we will highlight the enhanced
role of union learning representatives in promoting better skills
in the workplace. The Government will also consult with
the CBI and TUC over practical examples of how they are tackling
skills issues."
13.4 We asked why the Recommendations were so similar to those
addressed to the UK in the past. The Minister replies:
"The reason is that these are issues which require long term
strategies to make progress towards the desired outcomes. And
therefore, understandably, these issues appear regularly in the
Recommendations agreed between the Council and the Commission."
13.5 The Minister continues:
"The Committee also asks if the Government's criticisms of
the Guidelines also apply to the Recommendations. They do not.
The Recommendations are focused on outcomes and do not prescribe
specific courses of action. The Recommendations give the Member
States the opportunity to set out the steps they will take to
address particular problems in their labour markets, and this
provides a sound basis for the exchange of good practice across
the EU."
Conclusion
13.6 We were disappointed to receive the Minister's letter
so shortly before the meeting. However, it helpfully supplies
the information we were seeking, and it is encouraging that the
Government has such a positive view of the recommendations addressed
to it.
13.7 We clear the document.
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