I am pleased you have raised that point, Mr Hughes, because it is one of the main themes of the White Paper. Simply put, this is the way I look at it. There is not much point in initiating a whole raft of legislation just to have a nice list for the statute book if what you have already put on the statute book has neither been transposed nor implemented. That really is the way to get the uneven playing pitch.

You make a reference to health and safety. You are very interested in that theme as I know. You will be aware that at the back of the White Paper I give the breakdown as to the transposition and it makes for sad reading. We have a framework directive and ten underpinning directives and there is still one country that has not even brought forward the framework directive. That is unsatisfactory. I do not regard that as living up to the obligation accepted after a decision has been adopted.

So, what are we going to do about it? First of all I am highlighting it as one of the major preoccupations in the next phase of the social policy evolution. And we are going to follow it up rigorously with all of the legal powers available. If that means increasing the resources that are available wherever they are needed then that is what you are going to get. But rest assured, you and I can talk about the implementation process again in a few years' time and I hope that you will be saying: Commissioner, you lived by your word. They have all been transposed.