HC Deb 17 September 2003 vol 410 cc768-9W
Dr. Cable

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which(a) Ministers and (b) civil servants will be attending the Cancun conference in September; and if she will make a statement. [128781]

Ms Hewitt

My right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, and the Secretary of State for International Development, and my hon. Friend the Minister of State for International Trade, Investment and Foreign Affairs and myself attended the Cancun conference.

We were supported by a total of 32 civil servants from Department of Trade and Industry, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Department for International Development and Her Majesty's Treasury. Each Department was able to deploy its expertise during discussions on the various trade and development issues contained in the Doha Development Agenda.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to my oral statement to the House earlier today.

Tom Cox

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions she is having with member states of the European Union on the trade policies that will be presented at the World Trade Organisation conference in Mexico in September; and if she will make a statement. [127166]

Ms Hewitt

I hold regular discussions with European Union member states on issues relating to the current World Trade Organisation Round. These continued during the conference itself.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to my oral statement to the House earlier today.

Dr. Cable

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent discussions she has had with(a) ministerial colleagues, (b) NGOs and (c) member states of the European Union on (i) policies and (ii) objectives to be presented at the World Trade Organisation conference in Mexico; and if she will make a statement. [128779]

Ms Hewitt

I have had regular discussions with my ministerial colleagues, NGOs and member states of the European Union on our objectives for the 5th World Trade Organisational Ministerial conference in Cancun. These discussions continued during the conference.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to my oral statement to the House earlier today.

Mr. Yeo

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the Government's objectives for the Fifth WTO Ministerial Conference in Cancun. [127598]

Ms Hewitt

[holding answer 8 September 2003]: Our main objective for Cancun was to work for a successful outcome to the current round of world trade negotiations that benefits industrialised and developing countries alike. In particular to: (i) secure an ambitious framework for an agreement on agriculture, where the EU has shown its commitment to the Round in agreeing historic changes to the CAP; (ii) press for progress on reducing non-agricultural tariffs, increasing services liberalisation and agreeing special and differential treatment for developing countries. I refer the hon. Gentleman to my oral statement to the House earlier today.