HC Deb 25 February 1998 vol 307 cc245-7W
Ms Drown

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment her Department has made of the legal opinion given to the Canadian Government on reservations under the Multilateral Agreement on Investment. [29958]

Mrs. Roche

The Government will make their own assessment of the MAI, taking legal advice where necessary.

Ms Drown

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what forms of social protest will be prohibited under the Protection from Strife clause of the Multilateral Agreement on Investment. [30582]

Mrs. Roche

None.

Ms Drown

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment the Government have made of the impact on civil liberties of the provisions of the Protection from Strife clause of the Multilateral Agreement on Investment. [30581]

Mrs. Roche

The Protection from Strife clause concerns compensation to be given to investors whose investments are damaged during strife. It will have no impact on civil liberties.

Mr. Dafis

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what research her Department has undertaken to investigate the means whereby(a) workers, (b) consumers and (c) others affected by the activities of foreign investors can bring disputes to the Multilateral Agreement on Investment dispute settlement mechanism. [30590]

Mrs. Roche

Investors, like others, are subject to the national laws of the countries in which they operate. Therefore, there is no need for workers, consumers or others to use the Multilateral Agreements on Investment's (MAI) dispute settlement mechanism for disputes against investors.

Mr. Dafis

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will seek to delay the finalisation of the Multilateral Agreement on Investment negotiations until the Department for International Development's assessment of the Multilateral Agreement on Investment's impact on poor countries has been completed. [30587]

Mrs. Roche

The Department for International Development's study on the MAI and developing countries will be ready in good time before the conclusion of the MAI negotiations.

Mr. Dafis

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans she has to consult British companies in respect of competition from foreign companies that are exempted from the provision of the Multilateral Agreement on Investment. [30591]

Mrs. Roche

The Department has consulted British business extensively throughout the negotiations on the Multilateral Agreement on Investment (MAI). The competitiveness of UK companies will not be adversely affected by the Agreement. Foreign companies, like domestic ones, will continue to be covered by UK and EU competition law. The MAI will place obligations on states, not on companies; the question of exemption for foreign companies does not arise.

Mr. Dafis

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will list the exemptions from the proposed provisions of the Multilateral Agreement on Investment sought by members of the OECD. [30586]

Mrs. Roche

The UK's draft list of exceptions has already been placed in the Library. It includes exceptions for broadcasting, fishing, marine and air transport, and financial services. The draft lists from other countries have been tabled in confidence; it would not be appropriate for the UK to make them public.

Mr. Dafis

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what research she has undertaken on the possible effects of the Multilateral Agreement on Investment on regional development policies within the United Kingdom. [30585]

Mrs. Roche

The Multilateral Agreement on Investment's main purpose is to limit discrimination against investors on the grounds of their nationality. It will not constrain regional development policies.

Mr. Dafis

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans she has to take into account the views of Government and non-governmental organisation experts from developing countries in assessing the impact of the Multilateral Agreement on Investment on developing countries. [30588]

Mrs. Roche

The Department has taken part in consultations organised by the OECD with experts from developing countries and NGOs on Multilateral Agreement on Investment (MAI). The Department for International Development has also consulted NGOs on the study it is undertaking on the development implications of the MAI.