HC Deb 15 May 2000 vol 350 cc21-2W
Mr. Colman

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he has taken to establish UK representation in a WTO parliamentary body to meet alongside future WTO ministerial meetings. [121964]

Mr. Caborn

The UK Government support the current consultations by WTO Director General Mike Moore and General Council Chair Ambassador Bryn which include consideration of WTO consultative and decision-making procedures. We would not like to pre-judge the outcome of these consultations—including any ideas concerning a WTO parliamentary body—which will need to take into account a wide range of views among WTO members on the nature of the issues and the shape of solutions for reform, in order to reach consensus between WTO members on a way forward.

Mr. Colman

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions the Government have undertaken with the Inter-Parliamentary Union about organising the representation of parliamentarians at future WTO ministerial meetings. [121965]

Mr. Caborn

The UK Government support the current consultations by WTO Director General Mike Moore and General Council Chair Ambassador Bryn which include consideration of WTO consultative and decision-making procedures. We would not like to pre-judge the outcome of these consultations—including any ideas concerning the representation of parliamentarians at future WTO ministerial meetings—which will need to take into account a wide range of views among WTO members on the nature of the issues and the shape of solutions for reform, in order to reach consensus between WTO members on a way forward.