Children: EU Strategy

Lord Harrison
asked Her Majesty's Government:

What is their response to the communication from the European Commission on the rights of the child, Com(2006)367, and the development of a European Union strategy on children. [HL7477]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Education and Skills (Lord Adonis)
The Department for Education and Skills, as lead Whitehall department on children's issues, has prepared an explanatory memorandum for Parliament's European Scrutiny Committees. The explanatory memorandum sets out the Government's view of this European document, including the belief that the Commission's case for action at EU level is weak and that this may be an example of the Commission attempting to extend EU competence. The proposals within the document would mostly be for the European Commission to take forward in its internal processes, but, if the strategy were agreed, there are some proposals that could affect the policy areas of several departments. The UK Government, therefore, intend to oppose the development of a strategy on the grounds that there is no relevant legal base for the activity.