HC Deb 23 October 2000 vol 355 c7W
Mr. Wigley

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the Government decided to underwrite plans by Balfour Beatty to undertake work on the Ilisu Dam in Turkey; and what the maximum potential liability is to the Treasury assessed from such underwriting. [134190]

Mr. Caborn

The Government have not yet taken a decision to underwrite Balfour Beatty's application for support from the Export Credits Guarantee Department in respect of the Ilisu Dam project. We do not expect to take such a decision until we have seen and assessed both and revised Environmental Impact Assessment Report and the Resettlement Action Plan which are currently being prepared.

Mr. Llew Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will place in the Library the reports of Dr. Ayse Kudat concerning the social and environmental impacts of the Ilisu Dam in Turkey. [134169]

Mr. Caborn

Dr. Kudat's reports are not the property of the Government. Following my hon. Friend's question, the Export Credits Guarantee Department asked the owners of the reports, the Export Risk Guarantee Agency (the Swiss export credit agency), whether they were prepared to allow them to be placed in the Library of the House. The owners have replied that they are not prepared to allow the reports to be made available at this time. When the final reports are available, we will seek agreement to their being made publicly available.