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Following the launch of the Four Degree Map on 22 October, which involved senior scientists from the Met Office Hadley Centre, we will be interested to hear partners' views. The map shows the most likely outcome from Business As Usual emissions and underlines the risk of a four degree rise to security and prosperity, and
the need for a deal at Copenhagen that will keep warming to a maximum of two degrees. Ministers will also discuss the forthcoming EU summits with the US, India, Russia and China, where we want climate change to be a key agenda item.
This will be the first EU ministerial discussion since the 1 October meeting in Geneva of the E3+3 and Iran. The presidency will look to the parties involved to update on developments since then, namely: attempts to schedule a follow-up meeting with the Iranians that addresses the nuclear issue; the International Atomic Energy Agency's inspection (scheduled for 25 October) of the recently disclosed enrichment facility at Qom; and the negotiations in Vienna on 19 October regarding the Tehran research reactor. We will also reiterate the need for the EU to maintain a robust united voice in condemnation of human rights violations arising from the ongoing post-election trials.
Ministers may discuss Albania's application for EU membership. The Government support prompt forwarding of the Albanian application to the Commission for an Avis (opinion) in line with normal practice.
Discussion will focus on the joint Presidency-Commission paper on enhancing EU engagement in Afghanistan and Pakistan. The Government welcome the paper, and look forward to its full and swift implementation.
We also expect discussion to focus on the outcome of the Afghan elections. We will underline the importance of maintaining co-ordinated EU support in the run-up to the second round of the presidential elections, including through another European election mission. We will also aim to secure agreement to hold a second EU-Pakistan summit under the Spanish presidency.
We expect the Swedish presidency to report on the joint EU-US initiative to make progress on blocked reform priorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). The Government welcome this initiative, to which we are giving our full support. We are urging BiH's political leaders to engage fully and constructively in the talks.
Following a briefing to Ministers from the Presidency and High Representative Solana, the GAERC is likely to reiterate EU support for: a two-state solution in accordance with previous agreements between the parties; the need for a comprehensive, regional approach; and urgent access to Gaza. We expect Ministers to review US efforts to launch negotiations between the parties and reaffirm the EU's readiness to work in close co-operation with the US and other international partners towards achieving a sustainable and lasting peace.
We welcome this discussion, which we expect to cover our main areas of concern, in particular: the need for the Government of Sri Lanka to make urgent progress in returning the internally displaced persons (IDPs) to their homes as soon as possible; improving the conditions in the camps for the remaining IDPs and taking steps aimed at encouraging reconciliation between Sri Lanka's
communities. This includes the need for an independent and credible process to address possible violations of international humanitarian law by both sides during the conflict.
Ministers are likely to discuss recent political and economic developments. This may include the recent International Monetary Fund visit, the timing of EU macro-financial assistance and other possible sources of funding. There may also be a short discussion about the outcome of the presidential parliamentary vote on 23 October. We support an ambitious programme of EU engagement and assistance with the new Government.
Ministers are likely to discuss possible EU action, including a mission to train Somali security forces. They may also cover existing training initiatives undertaken bilaterally by some member states. We support the UN political office for Somalia (UNPOS) joint needs assessment, expected mid-November, believing that its outcomes will help to focus EU activities, and encourage co-ordination and buy-in from the Transitional Federal Government.
We expect Ministers to discuss an EU arms embargo and sanctions against individuals deemed to be a threat to the transitional process in Guinea. The Government strongly condemn the violent repression by military forces of the demonstration on 28 September in Conakry, the massacre of unarmed civilians and gross human rights violations including rapes. We would support an EU decision on targeted sanctions against suggested individuals and an EU arms embargo.
Health
Management Consultants (Government Response to Health Committee Report)
The Minister of State, Department of Health (Mr. Mike O'Brien): Following the Publication of a House of Commons Health Select Committee report on the use of management consultants by the NHS and Department of Health on 4 June 2009, I am today laying the Government's response before Parliament (Cm 7683). The response is in the Library of the House and copies are available to hon. Members from the Vote Office.
The Government have considered the Committee's report and welcome it as a helpful contribution. The Command Paper sets out the Government's response to the report and outlines the steps already being taken to meet the recommendations of the Committee.
The Department is already working to meet the Committee's recommendations as part of a programme to improve the transparency of expenditure and to enhance the way in which management consultants are procured, managed and evaluated. Details on the Department's use of management consultancy have already been published and will be shared with the Committee at the forthcoming public expenditure inquiry.
Our response also sets out how we plan to improve the accountability and ensure value in the use of management consultancy in the NHS. We have already set in place plans to collect details of the NHS's overall expenditure by summer 2010. The Government have
also committed to undertaking further work to improve the transparency of NHS expenditure. Through this work, the Government intend to continue to improve the level of detail we are able to provide to the Select Committee.
Age Equality in Health and Social Care
The Minister of State, Department of Health (Phil Hope): In April 2009, the Secretary of State for Health asked Sir Ian Carruthers, Chief Executive of NHS South West, and Jan Ormondroyd, Chief Executive of Bristol City Council, to undertake a review of age discrimination and age equality in the health and social care sector, as announced in a written statement on 27 April 2009, Official Report, column 35ws.
The review was asked to consider what health and social care organisations should do to meet the age provisions of the Equality Bill, currently before Parliament. The Bill outlaws age discrimination against people aged 18 and over by those providing services and exercising public functions. The Bill also creates a new public sector equality duty which applies in relation to age as well as to seven other protected characteristics.
The review was supported by the National Advisory Group on Age Discrimination, chaired by John Dixon, Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Social Services at West Sussex County Council. The review has undertaken a comprehensive engagement process in the South West with local authorities, the NHS, public groups and third sector organisations focusing on the practical implementation of the Bill.
The review's leaders published their report, Achieving "Age Equality in Health and Social Care"-a report to the Secretary of State for Health on 22 October 2009. The report sets out the review's recommendations and conclusions on what actions health and social care organisations need to take to tackle age discrimination and advance age equality. It includes a recommendation to implement the Equality Bill's age discrimination ban in health and social care at the same time as in other sectors.
The Government are minded to accept the review's recommendation on the timing of implementation. The Department intends to consult on its response to the report in December of this year. This will take place in parallel with the further development of a resource pack designed to support implementation.
The report has been placed in the Libraries of both Houses and copies are available to hon. Members from the Vote Office.
Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council
The Minister of State, Department of Health (Gillian Merron): European Union Health Ministers met in Luxembourg for the EPSCO (Health) Council on 12 October 2009. Andy Lebrecht (Deputy Permanent Representative, UKRep) represented the UK.
EU Health Commissioner Vassiliou opened the meeting by announcing the latest information from the ongoing clinical trials on the vaccines for H1N1. It was looking increasingly likely that only one dose would be enough
to ensure immunity, rather than two as previously thought. As requested by the Council conclusions, the Commission would propose a mechanism whereby member states with surpluses of vaccines could make those vaccines available to other member states.
The Commissioner then noted that the joint procurement exercise for those member states without agreements with the pharmaceutical industry (Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Malta) was ongoing and might be extended to EU neighbourhood or candidate countries. She finished by remarking that had the EU had a common procurement agreement for vaccines, rather than differing national arrangements, then all countries could have had the right amount of vaccines at a lower price.
Commissioner Vassiliou praised the willingness to work together that member states had shown throughout the pandemic, but noted that there was room for improvement, particularly in the field of communication. She complained that the Commission and other member states had often heard about important announcements through the media, rather than beforehand from the member state(s) concerned.
The ministerial discussion focused on three main issues: communications with the public; work with developing countries; and cross-cutting multi-sectoral preparedness.
Most member states agreed that communications should be co-ordinated wherever possible, but noted that they would always have to be tailored to local circumstances. When policies or messages differed, it was important that authorities could explain to the public why this was. This was particularly true for the vaccination campaigns which will be launched in the near future. The UK, and other countries, emphasised the key role that the Health Security Communicator's Network, which provides a forum for officials dealing with communications to liaise with each other, has to play here. The UK also noted that it would be important for any EU-level communications initiative to support member state initiatives.
There was also a clear consensus that work with developing countries should be led by the UN system, and the WHO in particular. Many member states noted that the question of aid was wider than only the supply of vaccines: the EU should consider how healthcare systems more generally could be strengthened. The UK encouraged other member states and the Commission to provide as much support as possible to the UN's urgent needs identification and prioritisation process for developing countries, and looked forward to the discussions on this envisaged by the Council conclusions.
The presidency received clear support for the work they had initiated on multi-sectoral issues in the friends of the presidency group. In addition to transport, telecommunications, and energy, member states thought that business continuity in banking and food and water supplies should be considered. The UK said that it thought that this multi-sectoral work was essential and suggested two specific tasks this group could set itself:
in the short term, a report summarising the business planning assumptions each member state is using; and
in the long-term, a piece of work examining the kind of flexibilities that might be needed in community legislation in the event of a crisis situation.
The presidency welcomed these suggestions and said that the group would indeed take forward the work suggested by the UK.
Home Department
Justice and Home Affairs Pre-Council Statement
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (Meg Hillier): The Justice and Home Affairs Council is due to be held on 23 October 2009 in Luxembourg. My noble friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice, Lord Bach, the Scottish Minister for Community Safety, Fergus Ewing, and I intend to attend on behalf of the United Kingdom. As the provisional agenda stands, the following items will be discussed:
The Council, beginning in Mixed Committee with non-EU Schengen states, will receive an update from the presidency on arrangements for the first milestone test for the second generation Schengen Information System (SIS II). The UK welcomes the update and will press to ensure the test is well-planned and managed in line with the criteria set out in the June JHA Council conclusions.
Next the presidency will present an update on the current state of play on the implementation of the regulation establishing the Visa Information System (VIS). The UK does not participate in that regulation.
Following Mixed Committee, the Commission will present their annual report on visa reciprocity, which is to be published soon. While the UK does not participate in the EU visa regime, we do maintain an interest in all visa issues, notably for full reciprocity with third country nationals. The Council will then exchange views on Canada's decision to reintroduce visa requirements for all Czech nationals. The UK believes the Commission should continue to engage with the Canadians to broker a solution.
The presidency will seek a general approach on the draft framework decision on accreditation of forensic laboratory activities, which aims to increase mutual trust in DNA and fingerprint data exchanged by requiring a minimum standard of accreditation. The Government fully support the measure, subject to the views of the parliamentary scrutiny committees.
The presidency will then invite the Council to reach a general approach on the proposal for a Council decision to establish the European crime prevention network. This instrument will strengthen the network's ability to identify exchange and disseminate crime prevention information and actions targeted at traditional, or volume, crime. The UK is a co-sponsor of the initiative and supports the presidency in wishing to secure a general approach.
In the afternoon, Justice Ministers will be asked to adopt a Council resolution on a "roadmap" for strengthening procedural rights of suspected or accused persons in criminal proceedings. The resolution encourages the European Commission to submit proposals, to be considered by the member states, for action to improve criminal procedural law standards across the European Union. The Government hope that this will help to enhance the operation of mutual recognition by increasing trust among member states. The Government fully support the measure, subject to the views of the parliamentary scrutiny committees.
The presidency will seek a general approach on a draft framework decision and an accompanying draft resolution on the right to interpretation and translation in criminal proceedings. Together they form the first of the measures that are to be proposed on the "roadmap for strengthening procedural rights". They will ensure that there are common minimum standards with respect to the right to interpretation and translation in criminal proceedings. The Government support the measures, subject to the views of the parliamentary scrutiny committees.
The Council will then have a first exchange of views on the proposed framework decision on the transfer of proceedings in criminal matters. This is a member state initiative, which seeks to establish a common legal framework for the transfer of criminal cases between member states where this would improve the efficient and proper administration of justice. This proposal is a priority for the Swedish presidency, where they hope to reach a general approach at the November Council (30 November to 1 December).
The presidency will lead a political discussion on the proposal for a framework decision on combating trafficking of human beings with a view to resolving some of the outstanding issues, for example on jurisdiction for offences. The Government are generally content with the proposed framework decision, subject to the views of the parliamentary scrutiny committees.
Under any other business the Commission will present its review of visa facilitation in the Western Balkans. The UK does not participate in the part of the Schengen acquis that covers visa liberalisation, and will not be lifting visit visa requirements for Western Balkan states when the Schengen zone liberalises its own requirements. The UK remains a strong supporter of the EU enlargement process and the aspirations of West Balkan states for eventual EU membership.
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