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Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission

Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:

Lord Williams of Mostyn: In accordance with a direction issued on behalf of the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland under paragraph 7(2)(a) of Schedule 7 to the Northern Ireland Act 1998, the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission will be required to submit to the Secretary of State and the Comptroller and Auditor General copies of its statement of accounts for the financial period ended 31 March 2002 by 31 July 2002.

Crops Conference

Lord Marlesford asked Her Majesty's Government:

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Whitty): Crops magazine, which was the organiser of the conference, originally invited my right honourable friend the Secretary of State to give a keynote speech. Diary commitments did not permit her or any other member of the Defra ministerial team to do so.

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Employment and Social Policy Council, 3 December

Baroness Gale asked Her Majesty's Government:

    What the outcome was of the Employment and Social Policy Council held in Brussels on 3 December; what the government position was on each issue discussed, including their voting record; and if they will make a statement.[HL2102]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Work and Pensions (Baroness Hollis of Heigham): My right honourable friend the Secretary of State represented the United Kingdom at the Employment and Social Policy Council in Brussels on 3 December, together with the Minister of State for Employment Relations and the regions, my honourable friend the Member for Hull West and Hessle (Alan Johnson).

The Council agreed parameters for the simplification of the co-ordination of social security schemes under Regulation 1408/71. The United Kingdom was able to accept the parameters, subject to detailed scrutiny, further negotiations and correction of linguistic points. The parameters will be forwarded to the Laeken European Council. The United Kingdom was also able to endorse the Council's Conclusions indentifying the appropriate legal base for extending co-ordination of social security schemes to nationals of third countries.

The Council reached political agreement on the autumn package of employment measures, comprising the employment guidelines for 2002; recommendations on the implementation of member states' employment policies; and the adoption of the Joint Employment Report for 2001: the package will go to the Laeken European Council for endorsement.

The Council adopted conclusions on indicators on quality in work which will be presented to the Laeken European Council, thus fulfilling the remit from the Stockholm European Council.

The Council adopted a report on indicators of poverty and social exclusion for Laeken; a joint Commission and Council report on social inclusion and a joint report from the Social Protection Committee and the Economic Policy Committee on objectives and working methods in the area of pensions. All three documents will go the the Laeken European Council for adoption.

The Council agreed a common position on amending the Insolvency (worker protection) Directive, to bring it in line with recent jurisprudence.

The Council also agreed to adopt 2003 as the European Year of People with Disabilities.

The Council adopted conclusions on structural indicators, which will be forwarded to the General Affairs Council; indicators on the gender pay gap, and on an EU-level mechanism to help resolve transnational employment disputes.

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The Belgian presidency presented a progress report on a Directive on Employee Involvement in the European Co-operative. The presidency reported progress on the Asbestos (worker protection) Directive. A common position is expected to be finalised under the forthcoming Spanish presidency. The Council noted two presidency reports on gender mainstreaming in Council formations and agreed a contribution to work on the broad economic guidelines for 2002, to be forwarded to ECOFIN.

The Council adopted a resolution on the Commission's Green Paper on Corporate Social Responsibility and requested that the outcomes of the current debates at national level be incorporated in the Commission's next communication on this subject.

The Commission gave an overview of its communication on increased labour force participation and active ageing. The Commission presented its communication on lifelong learning.

No votes were taken at this Council.

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Patient's Charter Standards

Baroness Noakes asked Her Majesty's Government:

    Whether they will publish performance against key Patient's Charter standards for the quarters to 30 June 2001 and 30 September 2001.[HL1596]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): The Patient's Charter was replaced in January this year with Your Guide to the NHS. The core standards contained in Your Guide to the NHS will be monitored as part of the implementation of the NHS Plan.

Three of the original four key Patient's Charter standards are routinely published in the Treating Patients section of the NHS Quarterly Review, which can be found on the Department of Health website at www.doh.gov.uk/nhsquarterlyreview. Performance data on urgent and routine transfers of GP medical records is no longer collected centrally.



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