§ 20. Mr. PriorWhat the Secretary of State for International Development what response her Department has made to the World Bank's World Development report 1997: the State in a Changing World. [14127]
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§ Clare ShortIn discussion with the President of the World Bank, I welcomed this report and, in particular, its recognition of the enabling role of the state in promoting pro-poor growth and providing services for poor people. My Department also participated in, and part-financed, a meeting of the European Policy Forum which brought together European donors, academics and the World Bank to assess the report's main messages. My officials have also discussed the report with the World Bank with a view to assessing the relevance of its conclusions for our own work.