§ Lord Kennetasked Her Majesty's Government:
What are the implications of the Multilateral Agreement on Investment for so-called "BioPiracy". [HL1457]
§ Lord Clinton-DavisThe Government believe that issues such as "BioPiracy" should be the subject of action at national level and within the appropriate international environmental agreements—for example, the Convention on Biological Diversity.
More generally, we are studying the report by the OECD Secretariat on the relationship between the proposed MAI and multilateral environmental agreements such as the Convention on Biological Diversity.
§ Lord Kennetasked Her Majesty's Government:
What are the implications of the Multilateral Agreement on Investments for the protection and encouragement of national and regional cultural developments. [HL1458]
§ Lord Clinton-DavisThe MAI allows for policies to encourage national and regional cultural development which do not discriminate on the grounds of the nationality of an investor.
In the audio-visual sector, the European Commission is proposing that all member states and the Community take exceptions from the MAI's obligations so as to maintain their ability to take discriminatory measures for the promotion of cultural and linguistic diversity. This would preserve the result of the 1994 General Agreement on Trade in Services in this sector. The Government support this approach.
§ Lord Kennetasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the provisions of the Multilateral Agreement on Investment enforced by the World Trade Organisation and by other non-United Nations
188WA(a) unleaded petrol; and (b) leaded petrol in—(i) Great Britain; and (ii) United States, together with the amount of tax paid per litre in each case.[HL1089]
§ The Minister of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Lord Clinton-Davis)The latest available comparable information requested is in the table below. All data in pence/litre.
international bodies are appealable; and, if so, how and to whom. [HL1459]
§ Lord Clinton-DavisMAI dispute settlement provisions will be self-standing and separate from the WTO. The draft provisions do not include an appeals procedure, though the issue is under consideration.