§ Mr. Nigel JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions in the Council have taken place under the UK presidency of the European Union of the risk posed by nuclear installations which are not millennium compliant(a) within the European Union, (b) in former Warsaw Pact countries and (c) in the rest of the world. [49260]
§ Mr. FatchettDuring the UK Presidency, millennium compliance, including that of nuclear installations and utilities in general, was raised at the Telecoms, Internal Market and Industry Councils, at the European Conference on 12 March, and at the Cardiff 549W European Council. The UK also hosted a seminar on 8 May seeking to increase awareness of the problem amongst our EU partners.
In respect of nuclear installations outside the EU we have been active in the International Atomic Energy Agency, as the responsible international body. We have also been active through our Embassies in raising global awareness of the Year 2000 problem more generally. We continue to encourage all countries to recognise the need to take immediate action to address the problem.