European Union Committee
Social Policy and Consumer Affairs (Sub-Committee G)
The EU Social Policy and Consumer Affairs Sub-Committee, chaired by Baroness Howarth of Breckland, is one of the seven sub-committees of the House of Lords European Union Select Committee.
The primary purpose of the Select Committee and its Sub-Committees is to scrutinise EU law in draft before it is agreed in the EU, to expose difficulties and propose improvements. This is carried out by each Sub-Committee through Correspondence with Ministers, evidence sessions with Ministers or officials and inquiries.
The Sub-Committee conducts inquiries based either on the scrutiny of EU documents (documents currently being scrutinised are listed in the Progress of Scrutiny) or on subjects chosen by the Sub-Committee from within the fields of health, education, employment, health and safety at work and cultural issues, as well as consumer protection matters in fields such as personal finance and food safety. It invites written and oral evidence from government departments, EU institutions and other interested bodies and individuals, in order to consider a wide range of points of view before reaching conclusions. Reports range from major reviews of significant policy issues to shorter analyses of specific legislative or policy proposals.
Uncorrected Oral Evidence | Corrected Oral Evidence | Written Evidence
Latest news
European Social Fund Inquiry
The Committee has launched an Inquiry into the European Social Fund. A Call for Evidence has been published detailing the issues that the inquiry will focus on. The closing date for submissions was Friday 2 October 2009.
The written submissions of evidence are now available to read.
The Sub-Committee will now deliberate their Report on the European Social Fund. Publication is expected at the end of March.
Oral evidence was heard from Jim Knight MP, Minister for Welfare and Employment Reform, Department for Work and Pensions on Tuesday 2 February 2010.
Oral evidence was heard from Lincolnshire County Council and London Councils on Thursday 28 January 2010.
Oral evidence was heard from the Scottish Government and the Welsh Assembly Government on Thursday 21 January 2010.
Oral evidence was heard from the Convergence Partnership Office for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly; the Government Office for Yorkshire and the Humber; and the Government Office for the North West on Thursday 7 January 2010.
Oral evidence was heard from the South West Regional Development Agency on Thursday 10 December.
Oral evidence was heard from representatives from the Third Sector European Network and other Third Sector organisations on Thursday 26 November.
Oral evidence was heard from representatives from the Higher Education Sector on Thursday 19 November.
Oral evidence was heard from the Learning and Skills Council on Thursday 5 November.
Consumer Rights Directive report was debated
The Committee's Report, 'The Consumer Rights Directive: getting it right', was debated on 23 October 2009 in the House of Lords.
The Government and Commission responses to the Report are available now:
Government Response
Commission Response
Recent Reports
EU Consumer Rights Directive: getting it right published on 15 July 2009.
Healthcare across EU borders: a safe framework published on 24 February 2009.
- Government Response to Report: Healthcare across EU borders (PDF)
- European Commission Response to Report: Healthcare across EU borders (PDF)
Proposed Temporary Agency Workers Directive and Working Time Directive published on 21 October 2008.
Increasing the supply of donor organs within the European Union published on 2 July 2008.
- Government Response to Report: Increasing the supply of donor organs within the EU (PDF)
- EuropeanCommission Response to Report: Increasing supply of donor organs within the EU (PDF)
Protecting the consumers of timeshare products published on 18 December 2007.
- Government Response to Report: Protecting the consumers of timeshare products (PDF)
- European Commission Response to Report: Protecting the consumers of timeshare products (PDF)
Proposal to establish the European Institute of Technology published on 4 July 2007.
- Government Response to Report: Proposal to establish the European Institute of Technology
- Commission Response to Report: Proposal to establish the European Institute of Technology
Modernising European Union labour law: has the UK anything to gain? published on 27 June 2007.
- Government Response to Report: Modernising EU labour law (PDF)
Subscribe to Email Alerts for this pageOpens a new window. When you have completed sign-up, click Close to shut the window down.
