Mr President, I have to say that I am absolutely astonished at what I have witnessed in this Chamber tonight. As a new Member, I never expected this would be the way that an issue of this gravity would be dealt with: we are asked to take a second-hand piece of information from a read statement on an issue which clearly demands absolutely top priority and a proper debate.

My own interest in this particular debate tonight concerns Corby, a typical steel town which finds itself in a most unwelcome hat trick. Firstly, it learned some weeks ago that it no longer has a share of Resider II; last week 160 jobs were axed by British Steel; and now it hears that this reversal on the part of the Commission might make its present position even more precarious. Surely, as parliamentarians we have the right to a proper exchange of views.

Next week in Brussels we have a meeting of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs and Industrial Policy and I believe the two Commissioners involved, Commissioners Bangemann and Van Miert, should come to that committee so we can debate the issue properly. Anything less is unacceptable. We only have second-hand and second-best information tonight.