§ Mr. ChaytorTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what negotiations her Department has had with the World Bank about protecting the poor from the effects of financial crises; and if she will press for an external evaluation of the effectiveness of the protection measures which are supported with World Bank loans to be conducted and to be published. [86941]
§ Clare ShortWe are working closely with the World bank to ensure its programmes pay particular attention to protecting poor and vulnerable groups from the effects of financial crises. We have been working to try to ensure that the bank and the IMF work more closely together on emergency adjustment programmes to ensure that the needs of the poor are taken fully into account. At the 1998 Annual Meetings of the Bank and Fund, the Chancellor of the Exchequer also called for a development of a Code of Good Practice on Social Policy to help guide countries in dealing with the social consequences of global economic problems. Work on this is underway, and the Bank will report on progress at the 1999 Annual Meetings in late September.