§ Mr. LidingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library the letter issued in 1998 by Commissioner Flynn under Article 169 of the Treaty of Rome concerning the United Kingdom's implementation of the general fire safety provisions of the European Framework Directive together with his response to that letter. [92891]
§ Mr. George HowarthCorrespondence between the European Commission and member states, including the United Kingdom, on Article 226 (formerly 169) cases is regarded by both parties as confidential between them. The broad content of Commissioner Flynn's letter was set out in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Nottingham, East (Mr. Heppell) on 8 April 1998,Official Report, column 255. The Fire Precautions (Workplace) (Amendment) Regulations 1999 reflect the Government's response to the letter in that they amend the Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations 1997 to the
1999 Belfast London Newport Liverpool Peterborough Glasgow January 8 2 12 16 5 11 February 14 4 20 20 11 10 March 16 6 28 25 12 16 April 21 6 36 33 15 18 May 31 5 33 46 27 26 June 36 6 39 38 35 36 July1 19 6 39 43 35 47 1 Up to week ending 18 July 1999 These figures need to be treated with caution because processing is often done in declared travel date order rather than the date received. The processing times reflect the Agency's priority to meet passport applicants' declared travel dates. July travel dates, apart from applications being made now, have been 270W necessary extent to address the Commission's concerns about our implementation of the general fire safety provisions of the directive.