§ 19. Mr. ReedTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on discussions he has had with colleagues in Japan and Germany in advance of the G7 Finance Ministers meeting next month relating to the HIPC initiative. [66535]
§ Ms HewittThe HIPC initiative was discussed with all G7 partners, including Germany and Japan, and with other countries at the Annual Meetings of the IMF/World bank in Washington in October. The Chancellor also discussed the initiative with German Finance Minister Oskar Lafontaine in November. The HIPC initiative will next be discussed at the G7 Finance Ministers? and Central bank Governors? meeting in Bonn on 20 February following Chancellor Schroeder?s announcement last week of a new German initiative on debt.