§ Mr. HowardTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps she has taken to encourage British business to enter into joint ventures and invest in Central Asia. [63546]
§ Clare ShortAn important element of the White Paper's objective of reducing global poverty, is socially responsible partnership with British Business. In Central Asia, we are hoping to work with British Gas. Through a special scheme, we have helped British companies investigate investment opportunities. Our main programmes of assistance in these countries necessarily focus on supporting their transition (to market economies and pluralist democracies) in an equitable and sustainable manner. To this end, in Central Asia we are working with governments to tackle agriculture and health reform, whilst at the same time also helping build civil society.