HC Deb 18 April 2002 vol 383 cc1135-6W
Sandra Gidley

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what services the UK Government(a) unilaterally and (b) as part of the European Union will be requesting be liberalised under World Trade Organisation's general agreement on trade in services to be specified by 30 June. [50776]

Ms Hewitt

I refer to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Cheltenham (Mr. Jones) on 10 April 2002,Official Report, columns 368–69W.

Sandra Gidley

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if she will make a statement on how the liberalisation of social services under the World Trade Organisation's general agreement on trade in services will affect women as(a) citizens and (b) workers; [50811]

(2) what impact assessment has been made of how the liberalisation of social services under the World Trade Organisation's general agreement on trade in services to be specified by 30 June will affect women as (a) citizens and (b) workers. [50812]

Ms Hewitt

No country has so far tabled a negotiating proposal or request calling for liberalisation of social services in the current World Trade Organisation negotiations on trade in services. Unless any do so, the impact will be nil.

Sandra Gidley

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what commitments the Government have made under the World Trade Organisation's general agreement on trade in services regarding the liberalisation of public services. [50810]

Ms Hewitt

Public services——ie services supplied in the exercise of governmental authority——are in principle excluded from the scope of the GATS. The Government have therefore made no commitments under the GATS under which public services would be liberalised, and has said previously that it will make no commitments in the current World Trade Organisation negotiations that could call into question the supply of public services through for example the NHS or state educations system.

For the sake of clarity, the United Kingdom already allows the establishment of private educational establishments, hospital services and convalescent, rest and old people's homes, for example, and made commitments during the Uruguay Round confirming this market access.