To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the United Kingdom policy position on the carbon tax put to the Joint Energy and Environment European Council meeting on 23 to 24 April; what proposals were put forward by the Ministers of other EC member states; in what respects agreement has not been reached; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Norfolk, North-West (Mr. Bellingham) on 5, May Official Report, columns 109–10, reporting on the recent joint session of the Energy and Environment Councils.