HC Deb 07 November 1995 vol 265 c684W
Mr. MacShane

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he takes to ensure that no United Kingdom aid to China disbursed via the World bank or EC involves the use of forced labour camps in Chinese prison camps. [41278]

Mr. Hanley

We have no evidence to suggest that either World bank or EC funding for projects in China has involved the use of forced labour. The World bank, however, is taking very seriously recent allegations about links between a World bank-funded project in Xinjiang province and labour camps and has launched an investigation of the claims, while confirming that it would not condone lending for projects involving the use of forced labour.