To ask the President of the Board of Trade what estimate he has made of the effect on British manufacturing industry's investment planning of delays in agreeing EC standards.

No such estimate has been made by my Department. We are, however, concerned that the rate at which CEN and CENELEC produce the standards for use in relation to single market legislation is too slow and will be discussing with Community partners and national standards bodies what steps might be taken to improve the position. The Government are engaged in a review of future United Kingdom resourcing of the preparation of standards (Official Report, 10 June 1993, column 302) and welcome views on the best approach to the United Kingdom's input to European standards' committees.