HC Deb 17 January 2000 vol 342 c257W
Ms Drown

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish the Government's assessment of the outcome of the Uruguay Round of GATT negotiations, including the conclusions it has drawn concerning future trade negotiations. [104358]

Mr. Caborn

An assessment of the outcome of the Uruguay Round of GATT negotiations was published in May 1994 by the Government in a White Paper, "The Uruguay Round of Multilateral Trade Negotiations 1986–94" (Cm 2579). In relation to future trade negotiations, the Government published a consultation paper in May 1999 entitled "The UK and the World Trade Organisation: An Introduction to the Next Round" (DTI/Pub4140/5k/5/99/NP. URN 99/875). Both documents are available in the Libraries of both Houses. The Government's position in supporting the launch of a comprehensive Round of trade negotiations has been discussed in Parliament, most recently in the debate in European Standing Committee C on 22 November 1999. The Government's position is well reflected in the position of the EU and its support for the launch of a comprehensive Round remains strong since the failure of the Seattle Conference, as the Secretary of State said in the debate in the House on 9 December 1999,Official Report, columns 1022–94.