Policy Announcements, Monday 18 June

Government

• The Government today vowed to use its international relations to strengthen the UK's border controls, crack down on migration abuse and tackle trafficking. The pledge was reinforced by Home Secretary John Reid speaking today from Washington in the US, where he announced that the two countries should routinely share information about travellers of interest, people using false documents and other immigration offenders.  
• Ministers today launched a cross government strategy to support people with learning difficulties and/or disabilities to achieve fulfilling lives and further their education. 'Progression through Partnership' is the Governments' joint response to 'Through Inclusion to Excellence' known as the 'Little Report' and it sets out plans for increased joint policy development, improvements in provision and services, and workforce performance, the development of joint evaluation and monitoring systems and specific activities with delivery partners around issues requiring immediate attention e.g. improved planning activity, looking at courses at local colleges, and day centres, and improving the quality of what is on offer.
• DWP Minister Lord McKenzie today announced a new vocational rehabilitation task group to help ill or injured people stay in or return to work, and called on employers to do more to support their employees. 175 million working days are lost to sickness absence each year, costing businesses and the economy around £13 billion. Being out of work also affects physical and mental health, and returning to work is often crucial to an individual's full recovery. But very few employers currently offer occupational health or vocational rehabilitation to their employees. The task group - made up of government, customers, business and insurers - will identify what services are currently available, why businesses do not provide more support, and what needs to be done to increase understanding and ensure wider provision of support services.

EU  

• Tony Blair has said he will not sign a treaty at this week's EU summit giving up control of British law to Brussels. He said there were four key areas where he would not compromise: the Charter of Fundamental Rights, foreign policy, common law, and tax and benefits. He told MPs that his stance meant there would be no need for a referendum on any treaty that emerges from talks. But the Conservatives say any deal that hands power to the EU must be put to the public in a referendum.