§ Ms DrownTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps she is taking to encourage developing countries(a) to conduct an impact assessment before deciding whether to liberalise service sectors and (b) to consult civil society and carry out an assessment before the March 2003 deadline for offers. [70939]
§ Ms HewittThe United Kingdom is fully committed to helping developing countries to carry out impact assessments on the liberalisation requests they are receiving. The Department for International Development is providing funding to both the World bank and UNCTAD to support projects aimed at helping to build the capacity of developing countries to carry out such assessments and to participate effectively in the GATS negotiations. We are also working with the key international agencies to make the most appropriate and effective use of the funding that has been made available to help with the assessment question.
§ Ms DrownTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to her answer of 8 July 2002,Official Report, column 672W, what evidence she draws on to suggest that liberalisation of business, financial, telecommunications and transport services are most likely to contribute to development in developing countries. [70938]
§ Ms HewittThere are a number of studies on the actual or potential impact of liberalisation of services on developing countries. The World Bank's report "Global Economic Prospects and the Developing Countries 2002" gives a useful overview of the available evidence.