§ Chris Grayling:To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on International Monetary Fund opposition to the increase in rice and poultry tariffs in Ghana. [143635]
§ Hilary Benn:In his February 2003 Budget the Minister of Finance of Ghana proposed increases in duties on rice and poultry respectively. These increases were the subject of discussions with the International Monetary Fund, which was about to grant Ghana an arrangement under the Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility. The discussions centred on the effects of the proposals on food prices and public revenues and not on the principles of trade liberalisation. The proposals were later withdrawn by the Government of Ghana.