HC Deb 04 November 2002 vol 392 cc38-9W
Dr. Jenny Tonge

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to her answer of 15 October 2002 to the hon. Member for Banbury (Tony Baldry),Official Report, column 652W, what discussions the Government had with the Governments of (a) Angola, (b) Nigeria and (c) Sudan regarding becoming partners in the Transparency Initiative. [77057]

Clare Short

We approached several other Governments to seek their support for the initiative on transparency of payments for the extractives industry in the run up to, and during, the recent World Summit for Sustainable Development. Like many of the Governments the UK approached at the time, the Nigerians were interested in the proposal but needed further internal consultation before they could take a firm position. I understand these to be still ongoing. We have not yet approached Sudan or Angola.