§ 21. Mr. HopeTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received from charities and the churches on Government plans to write off debt owed by the poorest countries. [154620]
§ Miss Melanie JohnsonCampaigns by non-governmental organisations, faith groups and members of the public have helped to maintain the issue of debt relief at the top of the international agenda. Last year, around a third of all letters received by the Treasury related to debt relief.
767WFaith groups and charities were just two of the groups who participated in the recent "International Action Against Child Poverty" conference, which the Government hosted in London. This was also attended by representatives of developed and developing countries, businesses and civil society groups, the heads of the IMF, World bank, UNICEF and UNDP, and the conference was addressed by Kofi Annan and Nelson Mandela.
Faith groups and charities also attended three special seminars in Downing street last year, where they were able to put their concerns about debt relief directly to the Chancellor, the Secretary of State for International Development, and international figures such as the head of the IMF, Horst Kohler. A further seminar will shortly be arranged, to keep up the momentum from the child poverty conference.