Belize (Hansard, 2 July 2001)

§ Matthew Taylor
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development on what dates KPMG received letters from Carlisle Holdings during its study commissioned by her Department to review the regulation of offshore financial services in Belize and the effect of tax exemptions on pro-poor programmes; if she will place copies of these letters in the Library; and if she will make a statement. [994]

§ Clare Short
To the Department's knowledge KPMG only received three letters from Carlisle Holdings dated 10 August 2000,18 August 2000 and 9 April 2001. The correspondence is private to the parties concerned.

§ Matthew Taylor
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will place in the Library a copy of the report arising from the study commissioned from KPMG by her Department to review the regulation of offshore financial services in Belize and the effect of tax exemptions on pro-poor programmes; and on what date this report was(a) completed and (b) received by her Department. [992]

§ Clare Short
The report is for disclosure only to DFID and the Government of Belize. The final report was issued by KPMG on 24 May 2001 and received by the Department on 25 May 2001.

§ Matthew Taylor
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she plans to hold meetings with the Belize Government to discuss progress on the42W Commonwealth Debt Initiative and the effect of tax exemptions and public investment companies on pro-poor programmes. [995]

§ Clare Short
A team from DFID's Caribbean office will be visiting Belize next month to discuss these and other issues.

§ Matthew Taylor
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what meetings KPMG requested with representatives of the two public investment companies during its study commissioned by her Department to review the regulation of offshore financial services in Belize and the effect of tax exemptions on pro-poor programmes; and if she will make a statement. [993]

§ Clare Short
KPMG requested information on the two public investment companies from the Government of Belize. As far as the Department is aware KPMG did not request meetings with representatives of the two companies.

§ Matthew Taylor
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development on what date she asked the Permanent Secretary of her Department to investigate a possible conflict of interest by KPMG over a study commissioned by her Department to review the regulation of offshore financial services in Belize and the effect of tax exemptions on pro-poor programmes; on what date her Department met KPMG to discuss the issue of a possible conflict of interest; and if she will make a statement. [1007]

§ Clare Short
International consultants engaged by the DFID typically work for a number of different clients and our standard contract requires them to ensure there is no conflict of interest. Following the submission of a report that failed to fulfil the original terms of reference, my Permanent Secretary was assured of an impartial Final Report from the consultant when he spoke to a senior partner of KPMG on 18 May.