HC Deb 11 May 2000 vol 349 cc1006-7
12. Mr. Roger Casale (Wimbledon)

What steps are being taken by his Department to assist British companies to participate in the regeneration of Kosovo. [120516]

The Minister for Energy and Competitiveness in Europe (Mrs. Helen Liddell)

At the initiative of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, British Trade International established the Government/private sector taskforce last June to promote and co-ordinate the United Kingdom's response to the reconstruction opportunities in Kosovo. Arising out of that, a consortium of British companies, with financial support from the Government, was awarded the concession to manage Kosovo's power sector over the winter period. The United Kingdom was also awarded the contract for the first phase of upgrading Pristina airport. A website has been established to assist the British community and a BTI official has also been seconded to Kosovo.

Mr. Casale

I thank the Minister for that reply. Will she join me in congratulating Racal, in my constituency, for winning the contract to install the new avionics system at Pristina airport and to make safe civilian flights into Kosovo? Does she agree that the outstanding role that Britain has played in the humanitarian relief effort in the reconstruction of Kosovo has placed the reputation of British companies in the region in very good stead? Will she further encourage British companies to support the work of the British Government and British nongovernmental organisations in the region in providing humanitarian relief, thereby taking advantage of new trade and investment opportunities in the Balkans?

Mrs. Liddell

My hon. Friend makes a good point. I am happy to join him in congratulating Racal in his constituency. My right hon. Friend the Minister for Trade will be visiting Kosovo in the next few weeks. A key factor will be to ensure that, as we move from the emergency reconstruction of Kosovo into longer-term strategic recovery programmes, British industry will be able to contract for much of the employment. The British industrial sector is held in high regard in Kosovo because sound commercial business sense has been linked with a strong humanitarian agenda.