§ Mr. SwinneyTo ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will make a statement on the Government's policy on the multilateral agreement on investment. [20704]
§ Mrs. Roche[holding answer 15 December I997]: The Government support the general aims of the proposed MAI and are working to achieve a successful outcome to the negotiations by next April. We are aiming for a comprehensive, multilateral and legally binding agreement providing high standards of investment protection and liberalisation of investment regimes, based on the principle of non-discrimination against foreign investors, and with effective dispute settlement procedures. This Government have pressed for the MAI to take account of environmental and labour concerns.