To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement about progress at the Environment Council meeting on 21 December 1998 on the proposed Directive on end of life vehicles. [67340]

At the Environment Council, Ministers reached a degree of common understanding on many of the important issues raised by this Directive. However, the views of the European Parliament will need to be carefully considered and final decisions on the Council's Common Position will not be taken until the next Environmental Council in March, when the European Parliament's opinion should be ready.