Ilisu Dam (Hansard, 28 February 2000)

§ Mr. Worthington
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what provisions of the UN Convention on the non-navigational uses of trans-boundary waterways have implications for his consideration of ECGD support for the llisu dam. [111697]

§ Mr. Caborn
The provisions of the Convention as a whole are relevant to our consideration of ECGD support for the Ilisu dam. The UN Convention has yet to enter into force. However, the UK supports the principles of the Convention and intends to sign and ratify in due course. We encourage all countries to abide by the principles of the Convention, as we do.

§ Mr. Worthington
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in his consideration of projects seeking ECGD support, for what reasons he seeks the views of the Department for International Development; and if he will make a statement on this matter in connection with the Ilisu dam. [111696]

§ Mr. Caborn
ECGD seeks the views of DFID and other interested Whitehall Departments (including FCO, DTI and DETR) as appropriate when considering applications for export credits cover. This is in order to ensure consistency of policies, for example the White Paper on International Development makes it clear that the full range of the Government's policies affecting developing countries, including environment, trade, investment and agricultural policies should take account of its sustainable development objectives.
The consultation between ECGD and the Department for International Development (DFID) is carried out in a number of ways. DFID is a member of the Export Guarantees Committee and in this capacity sees high value applications for ECGD support in certain markets as a matter of course. DFID are also involved in assessing the productive expenditure implications of all applications for ECGD support for business in Heavily Indebted Poor Countries and countries who are eligible to borrow from the World Bank on International Development Association terms.
With regard to the Ilisu project, at the beginning of last year DFID provided advice on the environment and resettlement aspects of the project and how these concerns could be addressed. Since the commissioning of the studies on these issues, DFID' s involvement has declined significantly, as Turkey is not one of their key development partners.

§ Mr. Worthington
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has asked the World bank for its assessment of the merits of the Ilisu dam. [111698]

§ Mr. Caborn
No. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has not asked because at this point in time the World bank has not been asked for its opinion of the project by the Turkish authorities.