Further to my reply of 9 November 2000, Official Report , columns 327-28W, I have now reviewed the way that the Agency handles the investigation of domestic television and radio reception problems. This procedure will allow domestic consumers to report possible interference arising from new broadband telecommunications systems. The process of giving statutory social and environmental guidance has been developed to provide a means of ensuring that regulators take due account of the Government's social and environmental policies in carrying out their statutory functions.
Regulators have a statutory duty to have regard to the guidance.
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the personnel involved in the debt taskforce, its work programme and the preliminary conclusions it has reached. The taskforce will present its report and recommendations to me in April. I have been advised by the Post Office that all households in the affected areas have access to its postal services. Arrangements have been made at a local level for the collection and distribution of mail in areas affected by foot and mouth disease or where farmers or landowners have requested that postal staff do not go on their land. A central record of these local arrangements is not available.