HC Deb 10 April 2002 vol 383 cc368-9W
Ms Walley

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what meetings(a)she and (b)her officials attended, and which meetings are scheduled, for discussion of GATS. [48618]

Ms Hewitt

My ministerial colleagues and I and my officials regularly meet with a wide range of organisations (NGOs, trade unions, business, academics, the European Commission, other EU member states, other WTO Members, intergovernmental organisations and others) at which the current World Trade Organisation negotiations under the General Agreement on Trade in Services are often discussed.

Mr. Nigel Jones

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what services the United Kingdom(a)as part of the European Union and (b)unilaterally will be requesting from other states under the World Trade Organisation's General Agreement on Trade in Services. [47564]

Ms Hewitt

The United Kingdom negotiates in the World Trade Organisation as part of the European Union. Liberalisation requests are still being formulated. The EU's broad objectives are set out in negotiating proposals already tabled in the WTO and available publicly.

Mr. Nigel Jones

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the commitments already made under the World Trade Organisation's General Agreement on Trade in Services. [47418]

Ms Hewitt

Commitments already made by WTO members under the General Agreement on Trade in Services generally reflect, or are less than, the existing levels of market access prevailing at the time of the conclusion of the Uruguay Round. The United Kingdom maintains very few restrictions in its GATS schedule of commitments.

The full range of GATS commitments can be found on the WTO website at www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/serv_e/serv_commitments_e.htm.

Mr. Nigel Jones

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how she estimates the full implementation of the World Trade Organisation's General Agreement on Trade in Services will affect public services in the United Kingdom; and if she will make a statement. [47417]

Ms Hewitt

The General Agreement on Trade in Services permits World Trade Organisation members to define and maintain their own public services, and does not require them to make liberalising commitments where they choose not to.