To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on attempts to rename the English Channel. (204026)

[holding answer 8 May 2008]: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has not discussed the renaming of the English Channel with EU counterparts.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to oppose any moves to change the name of the English Channel at the next United Nations Conference on the Standardization of Geographical Names. (204027)

[holding answer 8 May 2008]: The next UN Conference on the Standardisation of Geographical Names is in 2012. The Conference cannot legislate, or pass resolutions, on renaming specific geographical locations. We are unaware of any move to rename the English Channel.