§ Mr. SinghTo ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will make a statement on the impact of the Multilateral Agreement on Investment on(a) the ability of local authorities to direct local economic development and (b) the poorest countries of the developing world. [26989]
§ Mrs. RocheThe MAI concerns discrimination against enterprises on the grounds of nationality, which is not generally a factor in local authority decisions. Therefore, there is no reason to believe that the Agreement will cause problems for local government policies.
The Department for International Development is commissioning a study on any implications the MAI may have for developing countries.
§ Mr. Matthew TaylorTo ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will convene a meeting of representatives of her Department, the Department for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, the Treasury and the Department for International Development, to discuss the Multilateral Agreement on Investment in advance of the High Level meeting of OECD Ministers on 16 and 17 February. [27277]
§ Mrs. RocheMy officials are in constant contact with those from other Government departments on the Multilateral Agreement on Investment (MAI), including the issues likely to arise at the High Level Meeting.