To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether, before granting supervisory status to any organisation, he will ask it to explain its record on nominating women to major policy-making organisations.

No. While the Government would favour the nomination of more women to major organisations, the record of a supervisory body in this respect is of no relevance to a decision by the Secretary of State on whether to recognise the body under the procedures in part II of the Companies Act 1989.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will take powers to provide that each supervisory body has lay observers on its council.

We have no such plans.