§ Mrs. SpelmanTo the Secretary of State for International Development, what discussions she has had with the Prime Minister's office regarding the impact on poor countries of the recent meeting of the European Council. [78668]
§ Clare ShortNone, but the impact of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and enlargement on poor countries has been discussed extensively by relevant Government departments for many months. In July, my department took an initiative to invite representatives from all EU governments to discuss "The impact of CAP reform on Developing Countries". These discussions are continuing with the next meeting in The Hague in January.
It remains clear that without CAP reform, we cannot deliver on the promise we made at Doha to improve trading opportunities for the developing world. The UK will continue to press for a Mid-Term Review (MTR) of the CAP, which should lead to a farming policy which promotes sustainable development, protects and enhances the environment, encourages high standards, guarantees safe food and enables us to fulfil our international commitments.