§ Mrs. GormanTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the Government have had any direct contact with the Polish Privatisation Minister; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. WaldegraveI have been asked to reply.
We are actively using the know-how fund to support privatisation in Poland. We organised a seminar on privatisation in Warsaw last year. A major consultancy report commissioned by the know-how fund, has recommended a number of future projects and programmes, including privatisation, within the Polish financial sector. These activities involve regular contact with the Plenipotentiary for Ownership Change and his office within the Polish Ministry of Finance.