§ Mr. HayesTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will report on the outcome of the Internal Market Council on 18 July; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. RedwoodThe Council, at which my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office represented the United Kingdom, discussed several issues, including the proposed European company statute; the draft EC merger regulation; and draft directives relating to rights of residence, the legal protection of computer programmes, and the introduction of public purchasing rules into the energy, water, transport and telecommunications sectors.