§ 32. Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what new plans he has to extend the work of the know-how fund in the Baltic states.
§ Mr. BaldryThe know-how fund will continue to provide rapid and flexible assistance to the reform process in the Baltic states. The countries concerned very much welcome our support.
§ Mr. FlynnDoes the Minister agree that since power was devolved from Moscow to Riga, Tallin and Vilnius, the know-how fund has made a marvellous contribution—it is a small contribution, but important—to the growth in the self-confidence and the economies of the Baltic states?
As Estonia has a smaller population than Wales arid Latvia has a smaller population than Scotland, would it not be worthwhile to use the know-how fund to set up a small seminar for the Prime Minister and the Cabinet so that he and they can know how devolution liberates, unifies and creates prosperity?
§ Mr. BaldryThat was a good try. I thank the hon. Gentleman for the first part of his question, which fairly summarised the advantages of the know-how fund and its contribution to helping the transformation of state-run communist societies to market-led, pluralist democracies in eastern Europe. However, he rather spoilt it by the second part.
§ Mr. Ian BruceWill my hon. Friend tell the House whether people in eastern European countries are asking about privatisation? Is he as pleased as I was that the hon. Member for Newport, West (Mr. Flynn) was so loud in his praise of privatisation when we were in Romania together? The hon. Gentleman seemed more enthusiastic about privatisation taking place than I was.
§ Mr. BaldryThe Labour party may be somewhat embarrassed by the know-how fund. The aim of part of It is to assist privatisation in eastern Europe. All those countries have recognised the need to move to market 453 economies while the Labour party is still grappling with whether it wants to abandon the 1918 commitment to the public ownership of all means of production, distribution and exchange.