Trade Agreements (Hansard, 30 November 1999)

§ Mr. Andrew George
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans she has to review the effect of trade agreements to which the UK is a party on developing countries. [100423]
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§ Mr. Foulkes
The EU is funding a Sustainability Impact Assessment by Manchester University of the next trade round currently underway in Seattle. The study is developing a methodology for sustainability impact assessment and will make a broad qualitative assessment of the next round. It will look at impacts for four groups of countries—the EU, developing countries, least developed countries and the world as a whole. The Government fully supports the EU's approach and will be consulting with the EU and the consultants as the work progresses. In addition, the UK is part funding a World Bank programme of research on trade and development, which will include some work on impact assessment.
The EU is currently negotiating new trade arrangements with the African, Caribbean and Pacific developing countries as part of the successor agreement to the Lomé IV Convention. The EU funded a consultancy study to investigate the effects of the proposed new arrangements. The results of the study were shared with EU member states and the ACP countries.

§ Mr. Andrew George
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent representations she has received on the effect of trade agreements to which the UK is a party on developing countries. [100421]

§ Mr. Foulkes
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has received representations from a variety of UK based development agencies and NGO organisations over the past few months. In October, she met with representatives of the British Overseas Aid Group. She gave a speech hosted by the Commonwealth Business Council on 3 November to over 100 NGOs entitled "Making the Next Trade Round Work for the World's Poor". I addressed the United Nations Environment and Development Committee conference "Seattle: A Challenge for Sustainable Development" on 18 November, a conference attended by most of the interested parties within the UK. I represent the Department for International Development (DFID) at the Government's regular meetings with the UK NGO Trade network.
In the preparatory process for the Seattle Ministerial Meeting which will be held this week all WTO members have had an opportunity to put their points across, including their concerns about existing agreements. We will be working to ensure that these comments are taken forward appropriately in the WTO.