§ 6. Mr. Ben Chapman (Wirral, South)What plans she has to discuss the White Paper on globalisation with developing countries. [143200]
§ 7. Mr. Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock)If she will make a statement on the globalisation White Paper. [143201]
§ The Secretary of State for International Development (Clare Short)The new White Paper, "Eliminating Poverty—making globalisation work for the poor", stands alongside our first White Paper that was published in 1997. It reaffirms our commitment to the elimination of poverty and the achievement of the international development targets. It sets out an agenda for managing globalisation, increased trade, investment and the new technologies in a way that could ensure that the abundance of wealth currently being generated brings benefits to the one in five of humanity who live in extreme poverty.
The White Paper makes it clear that globalisation can be managed either to bring a massive improvement in life to the poor of the world or to lead to their growing marginalisation, leading to division, squalor, poverty, conflict and environmental degradation. The future is not pre-determined; it is a matter of will and choice. The White Paper is designed to help mobilise a stronger international effort systematically to reduce poverty.
§ Mr. ChapmanMay I urge my right hon. Friend to hold talks with developing countries on the issues in the 1069 White Paper as broadly and as quickly as possible? May I urge her also to hold talks with our Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development partners, not least on the issue of untying aid? Does she share my view that the issues in the White Paper are so important that they merit a full debate on the Floor of the House?
§ Clare ShortI thank my hon. Friend. I should love to have such a debate on the Floor of the House. These are the most important moral issues facing the world and it is important that we do better for the future stability of the world and its security and avoid growing conflict, environmental degradation and the movement of refugees. I am proud of the fact that the UK has entirely untied its aid. There is $50 billion worth of aid in the international system, but it could be twice as effective if instead of being used to promote the exports of donor countries, it were used to build capacity in developing countries to run their Governments and their economies well. That is what the UK is doing and we are doing all that we can to persuade other countries to follow our lead.
§ Mr. MackinlayWhile welcoming the moneys for promoting ILO conventions to which my right hon. Friend referred in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Rotherham (Mr. MacShane), will she bear in mind that ILO conventions are widely flouted and ignored throughout the world? What proposals does she have in terms of international discussions to ensure the enforcement of ILO core values and conventions, particularly the right of association? Will she beef up the commission proposed in the White Paper on trade-related intellectual property rights? When will that commission meet? From where will it take evidence—will it be from overseas? When will it report?
§ Clare ShortI will make a statement on the commission on intellectual property as soon as I can. I do not yet have full details for my hon. Friend, but we are anxious to get it up and going to sort out how we can ensure that those rules benefit developing countries. I can certainly give him an undertaking that we shall do all we can to enforce core labour standards. Too many children in the poorest countries are in work and not in school, as we said earlier. There is still much bonded labour; people go into debt and therefore work for nothing and their children work for nothing. They need decent rights to work with a rate of return so that they can build up their future. Enforcing those standards is about justice and decency, economic self-reliance and a safer and more decent world. We are strongly committed to do all that we can to ensure that they are better enforced.