International

This week the Senate is at last to receive an answer to its hundred questions on the government's involvement in the war against Iraq. SP Senator Arjan Vliegenthart, who put the questions together with Senators from the Labour Party (PvdA), Green Left, D66 (centrist liberals) and the PvdD (Animal Rights' Party), is curious. "The cabinet has taken almost six months to give an answer to our questions," he said. The length of time taken should mean that we get really good answers. Evasive and wishy-washy answers will not be acceptable."

SP Senator Tiny Kox, chair of the United Left Group in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), is pleased with the announcement that an enquiry will be launched into the credit crisis. The assembly, which consists of parliamentarians from every European country, is extremely concerned about the consequences of the crisis for the citizens of the Council of Europe member states and of the rest of the world.