The Government have submitted to the EU Council Secretariat details of the United Kingdom’s 24 nominees for membership of the Economic and Social Committee. The Government have made these nominations on the basis of a fair and transparent selection process to ensure the UK delegation reflects the social and economic diversity of the United Kingdom.

The present four-year term of the ESC ends in September 2006. The UK divides its 24 members equally between group I (employers), group II (employees) and group III (other interests).

The ESC is a consultative body, which produces opinions for the Council of Ministers on draft legislation. Additionally the Committee can produce its own opinion on any other economic or social issue.

The UK has 24 full members in the ESC from a current total membership 317. There are eight UK members in each of the three groups.

The nominees are:

Employers (Group I)

1. Kenneth Fraser

2. Peter Morgan

3. Madi Sharma

4. Bryan Cassidy

5. Jonathan Peel

6. David Sears

7. Brendan Burns

8. Brenda King

Employees (Group II)

9. Christine Blower

10. Sandy Boyle

11. Marge Carey

12. Peter Coldrick

13. Nicolas Crook

14. Brian Curtis

15. Judy McKnight

16. Monica Taylor

Other Interests Group (Group III)

17. Rose D’Sa

18. Maureen O’Neill

19. Michael Smyth

20. Jane Morrice

21. Richard Adams

22. Sukhdev Sharma

23. Tom Jones

24. Derek Osborn.