To ask the President of the Board of Trade on which dates he met his European counterparts in the Council of Ministers in the last 12 months; and at which meetings the issue of intervention funding for the shipping industry was discussed.

[holding answer 19 May 1993]: In the last 12 months I represented the United Kingdom at Industry Council meetings on four occasions, on 17 June and 24 November last year and on 19 and 20 March and 4 May this year. Support for the shipbuilding industry was discussed at the 17 June meeting last year and at both meetings this year.