HC Deb 20 February 1997 vol 290 cc683-4W
Mr. Austin Mitchell

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to expand opportunities within the aid programme for British consultants in(a) fisheries and (b) other matters, following United Kingdom withdrawal from UNIDO. [16356]

Dr. Liam Fox

Wide-ranging opportunities for British consultants are already available under the British development programme. The ODA is actively developing a new strategy for strengthening its links with the private sector in a broad range of sectors.

Mr. Mitchell

To ask the Secretary of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the impact of the decision to withdraw from UNIDO on(a) developing countries and (b) employment of British consultants by UNIDO. [16532]

Dr. Fox

The impact of UK withdrawal from UNIDO will have little effect on developing countries. The Government believe that greater impact for developing countries can be achieved by the use of other channels for our resources. There is no restriction in UNIDO's statute on consultancies being awarded to non-member states.

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