§ 41. Mr. EnrightTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reviews have been conducted on the completion of the first half of the current Lomé agreement; and what conclusions were drawn.
§ Mr. GoodladThe fourth Lomé convention included provision for a mid-term review by February 1995. Negotiations with the African, Caribbean and Pacific countries will begin in May.
§ Mr. EnrightIs it not odd that the start should have been so late? If the Government are going to get down to a hard and proper analysis of what aid is needed, should not they be looking at regional structures in the ACP countries, particularly at the Economic Community of West African States? They should also be looking at education and, perhaps, at monetary union, which those countries, but not the European Council, are discussing.
§ Mr. GoodladThe hon. Gentleman makes two important points. The scope for regional co-operation is a unique feature of the Lomé convention. The seventh European development fund includes 1.25 billion ecu for regional co-operation projects. Regional allocations are subject to the same processes as national funds. Programming takes place at the beginning of each EDF. That is likely to be discussed in the negotiations with the ACP countries, which start in May.
651 Human development, in which education plays a major part, is a stated objective of the convention—one which will be upheld in the mid-term review. The Commission is producing a paper on education policy; it should result in a resolution at the Development Council in November this year.
§ Mr. John MarshallDoes my right hon. Friend expect that, as part of the review of the Lomé convention, it will be pointed out that British exports to Malaysia trebled after the signing of the Pergau dam deal?
§ Mr. GoodladMy hon. Friend is right. Our exports to Malaysia have been extremely healthy; in 1993, they doubled the 1992 figures. I hope that, despite the efforts of the Opposition, they will continue to prosper.