§ Mr. BrakeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps he has taken to ensure that no conflict of interest arises as a result of the Chairman of English Nature being also a non-executive director of a water company; and if he will make a statement. [57898]
§ Mr. Meale[holding answer 2 November 1998]: Baroness Young was required to seek consent from the Minister to join the Board of Anglican Water. The Minister gave his consent noting that Baroness Young's predecessor combined both posts without difficulty, and there are adequate provisions for dealing with conflicts of interest in English Nature's Council's Code of Practice.