§ Mr. FlookTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action the Government have taken to attract business to(a) Somerset and (b) Taunton since 1997. [73259]
§ Alan JohnsonIn 1998 the Government launched the Regional Development Agencies and in 1999 the South West Regional Development Agency (SW RDA) was established. Prior to that the West of England Development Agency had responsibility for attracting inward investment to Somerset and Taunton.
Since the inception of the RDA the Agency's Inward Investment team, working closely with the Somerset Local Strategic Partnership, has secured a number of successes bringing inward investors into Somerset.
The US believe the Farm Bill is compatible with their World Trade Organisation Commitments and have stressed their intention to remain fully engaged in the Doha negotiations. We will continue to strongly encourage them to do so.