§ Dr. TongeTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the British and Philippines initiative on child labour. [40628]
§ Mr. FatchettMy right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and Secretary Siazon of the Philippines announced in London at the Asia-Europe Summit on 1 April the launch of an initiative to promote co-operation between Asia and Europe on child welfare. The initiative will take the form of a meeting of governmental and non-governmental child welfare experts from the ASEM states to take place in London on 6–8 October 1998. The meeting will focus on practical co-operation to promote child welfare and tackle the commercial sexual exploitation of children and child sex tourism. Possible outcomes include improved co-ordination of training programmes, an ASEM children website and a database of child welfare projects. The meeting will also aim to promote best practice and improve co-operation on child welfare issues.
The initiative will not address directly issues of child labour.