§ Mr. CousinsTo ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he proposes to review the extent and nature of executive share option schemes; and what discussions he has had with the Association of British Insurers about its guidelines for the exercise of executive share options.
§ Mr. Neil HamiltonI am aware of the association's guidelines and would support it in urging companies to link share options to sustained underlying growth of the company. This does not require any change to the Companies Act provisions affecting those participating in share option schemes.