An apparatus for retaining bone portions in a desired spacial relationship comprising: a longitudinal member (650, 8012) connectable with a bone portion; a fastener (600, 8016) having a longitudinal axis and engageable with the bone portion to connect said longitudinal member (650,8012) to the bone portion; a housing (604, 8040,11040) having a first passage (632,8042) sized to receive said longitudinal member (650, 8012), said housing (604, 8040) having a second passage (618,8044,11044) with a longitudinal axis extending transverse to said first passage, said fastener (600, 8016) extending through an opening in said housing (604, 8040) into said second passage (618, 8044) and being moveable relative to said housing (604, 8040), a spacer (606, 8080) received in said second passage of said housing (604, 8040, 11040) and engageable with said fastener and said longitudinal member; and a clamping mechanism (610,8124) that clamps said longitudinal member(650, 8012), said spacer (606,8080) and said housing (604, 8040) to said fastener (600, 8016) to prevent movement of said fastener relative to said housing (604, 8040) characterized in that said second passage (618, 8044) of said housing (604. 8040) having at least first and second generally frustoconical surfaces that engage said fastener (600, 8016), said first and second generally frustoconical surfaces extending in the same direction relative to the longitudinal axis of the housing with the first generally frustoconical surface being less inclined relative to the longitudinal axis of the second passage (618, 8044) than the second generally frustoconical surface, said longitudinal axis of said fastener being positionable in any one of a plurality of angular positions relative to said longitudinal axis of said second passage (618, 8016, 11044) a longitudinal member (650, 8012) connectable with a bone portion; a fastener (600, 8016) having a longitudinal axis and engageable with the bone portion to connect said longitudinal member (650,8012) to the bone portion; a housing (604, 8040,11040) having a first passage (632,8042) sized to receive said longitudinal member (650, 8012), said housing (604, 8040) having a second passage (618,8044,11044) with a longitudinal axis extending transverse to said first passage, said fastener (600, 8016) extending through an opening in said housing (604, 8040) into said second passage (618, 8044) and being moveable relative to said housing (604, 8040), a spacer (606, 8080) received in said second passage of said housing (604, 8040, 11040) and engageable with said fastener and said longitudinal member; and a clamping mechanism (610,8124) that clamps said longitudinal member(650, 8012), said spacer (606,8080) and said housing (604, 8040) to said fastener (600, 8016) to prevent movement of said fastener relative to said housing (604, 8040) characterized in that said second passage (618, 8044) of said housing (604. 8040) having at least first and second generally frustoconical surfaces that engage said fastener (600, 8016), said first and second generally frustoconical surfaces extending in the same direction relative to the longitudinal axis of the housing with the first generally frustoconical surface being less inclined relative to the longitudinal axis of the second passage (618, 8044) than the second generally frustoconical surface, said longitudinal axis of said fastener being positionable in any one of a plurality of angular positions relative to said longitudinal axis of said second passage (618, 8016, 11044)