WORKING TOGETHER, WORKING BETTER: EU SOCIAL
PROTECTION AND INCLUSION POLICIES (5070/06)
Letter from the Chairman to James Plaskitt
MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Work
and Pensions
Thank you for your letter dated 19 July 2006[158]
which did not reach us in time for consideration before the House
rose for the Summer Recess. It was considered by Sub-Committee
G on 12 October.
We are grateful to you for your full explanation
of the progress which has been made since your Explanatory Memorandum
was originally submitted in January and for sending us copies
of the relevant documents mentioned in your letter.
We are also grateful for your assurance that,
in the Government's view, the Commission's Proposals meet our
criteria for OMC and that the early signs from this exercise are
reasonably encouraging. We are glad to learn that the March Employment
and Social Policy Council reiterated the need for OMC to respect
the competence and responsibility of Member States in this area.
Thank you, too, for confirming that Member States
are able to set targets at national or sub-national level, but
that no EU level targets have been proposed, and that the European
Parliament still has no formal role in OMC.
All in all, this seems a satisfactory outcome
and we are prepared to release the document from scrutiny, although
we will continue to expect the Government to monitor the process
closely and to bear our OMC criteria in mind.
12 October 2006
158 Correspondence with Ministers, 40th Report of Session
2006-07, HL Paper 187, pp 559-560. Back
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