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TrustUK

Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how the consumer launch of TrustUK will be promoted to UK consumers. [118775]

Dr. Howells: The consumer launch is being handled by TrustUK who are currently exploring options and developing a media planning strategy. The launch will take place in central London.

Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the consumer launch of TrustUK will take place. [118776]

Dr. Howells: The consumer launch is expected to take place in June.

Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the consumer protection provided by the monitoring standards set out in TrustUK. [118777]

Dr. Howells: TrustUK's criteria require e-commerce code owners to carry out effective monitoring to ensure that traders comply with the codes to which they subscribe. The criteria require monitoring to be carried out independently and with integrity and objectivity. Monitoring work must be capable of being externally verified. TrustUK will be developing statistically robust monitoring techniques.

TrustUK's criteria allow a degree of flexibility as to how monitoring is performed. The Government believe this approach, combined with effective enforcement and sanctions, should provide adequate consumer protection. At the same time it gives code owners some choice about the kind of monitoring procedures they adopt. The Government believe that codes should be flexible instruments, capable of evolving in response to market developments. TrustUK is developing a transparent procedure for keeping its criteria under review.

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Assisted Areas Status Map

Mr. Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the reasons are for the length of time taken by the Government and the European Commission to assess the Assisted Areas Status map for the United Kingdom; and when he expects it to be published. [118938]

Mr. Caborn: We have been engaged in detailed negotiations with the Commission with a view to securing the best possible deal for the UK's Assisted Areas within the constraints set by the Commission's rules on regional aid.

The new Assisted Areas map will be published when the College of Commissioners has approved it.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Oxford Forum

Mr. Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for what reason reference to the Oxford Forum has been included in the political and economic briefing relating to the USA. [117963]

Mr. Vaz [holding answer 6 April 2000]: I regret the administrative error that has led to my hon. Friend receiving an incorrect answer to his earlier question.

The Oxford Forum is a trilateral meeting of parliamentarians and experts from the UK, US and Germany. It was formed as a result of a joint initiative by President Clinton and the right hon. Member for Huntingdon (Mr. Major) in 1995. The event has been previously held in Oxford, Berlin, Harvard and Belfast.

Party whips select the hon. Members of the delegation.

The Oxford Forum is included in the bilateral relations paragraph of the US Political and Economic brief as it forms part of the strategy to strengthen relations between parliamentarians.

European Documents

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will deposit a copy of (a) Commission Document, "Building an Inclusive Europe" (6715/00) and (b) the Presidency report, "Strengthening the Common European Security and Defence Policy", discussed at the Lisbon summit, in the Library. [118025]

Mr. Vaz: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Security has led a policy responsibility for the areas covered in the Commission Document, "Building an Inclusive Europe" (6715/00). A copy of the document will be placed in the Library once an official version has been received.

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I have arranged for a copy of the Presidency Report, "Strengthening the Common European Security and Defence Policy", to be placed in the Library.

Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

Ms Rosie Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what changes have been made to the implementation of EU financial sanctions against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. [119401]

Mr. Vaz: EC Regulation 723/2000 amending EC Regulation 1294/1999 concerning a freeze on funds and a ban on investment in relation to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) was adopted by the Council of the EU on 6 April. The Regulation, which enhances the implementation of the existing financial sanctions against the FRY, came into force on 8 April. Among other changes, it clarifies the scope of the freeze of funds by tightening the definition of "the Government of the FRY" and "the Government of the Republic of Serbia".

HEALTH

Prostate Cancer

Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the effectiveness of intensity-modulated radiotherapy against prostate cancer. [118328]

Yvette Cooper: Preliminary evidence from the United States of America indicates that intensity-modulated radiotherapy may have a role in the treatment of prostate cancer. However, this treatment is not common practice in the United Kingdom and its effectiveness has not been evaluated.

Papilloma Virus

Miss Kirkbride: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the progress of arrangements for the three human papilloma virus pilot tests due to start in the summer. [118695]

Ms Perham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which sites will be used for piloting human papilloma virus testing as part of the National Cervical Cancer Screening Programme. [118703]

Yvette Cooper: The Department is currently establishing an advisory group, which will oversee the commissioning and running of the pilot sites for HPV testing and provide expert advice and support on all aspects of the scope of the project. A limited competition exercise will be held in the summer to select the pilot sites, and it is anticipated they will be chosen by the autumn. Testing will begin when preparatory work at each site is complete.

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BCG Vaccine

Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the progress made in identifying an additional supplier for the BCG vaccine. [118603]

Yvette Cooper: The Department has identified other manufacturers of BCG vaccines worldwide and is investigating these possibilities together with experts from the National Institute of Biological Standards and Control, the Medicines Control Agency and National Health Service Supplies. This work is still ongoing due to the complex nature of ensuring the safety and efficacy of any alternative source. Products from different manufacturers vary in their composition. We will need to be assured of the safety and efficacy of these products, that they can satisfy current United Kingdom licensing requirements and also that supply is such that further interruptions to the programme, once reinstated, will not occur. We are not yet in a position to be able to confirm when or if an alternative source will be available.

GM Animal Feed

Ms Drown: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure animal feed is labelled to show whether it contains genetically modified organisms. [117730]

Ms Stuart: I am advised by the Food Standards Agency that a proposed European Commission Regulation covering novel feed is expected to be presented to Council in the summer. We have been pressing for this as it should contain fair and consistent labelling rules for genetically modified material. In the meantime, the Advisory Committee on Animal Feedingstuffs is considering questions of terminology and thresholds.

Food Labelling

Barbara Follett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures his Department is taking to ensure clear labelling of food with regard to country of origin. [117729]

Ms Stuart: Origin labelling rules are harmonised at EU level. We are actively pressing for a review of these rules, and of international guidelines, to improve the amount and clarity of origin information on food labels.

Mr. Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made since 1 January 2000 in labelling all food with the country of origin. [117734]

Ms Stuart: On 1 February my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food issued tough new guidance to industry and enforcement authorities emphasising the need to ensure that country of origin markings on food labels are unambiguous.

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Origin labelling rules are harmonised at European Union level. We are actively pressing for a review of these rules, and of international guidelines, to improve the amount and clarity of origin information on food labels.

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