§ Tim LoughtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures are in place to ensure that British companies investing in developing countries will(a) be there as the result of invitations by people in the developing countries, (b) give employment to local people, (c) pay reasonable rates to those people and not exploit them and (d) not compete with existing practices in a way that undermines people's livelihoods. [120403]
§ Ms HewittIn terms of encouraging and monitoring standards of good conduct by British companies in overseas markets, the Government attach considerable importance to the various voluntary multilateral initiatives that promote the principles of corporate social responsibility (CSR) such as the Global Reporting Initiative, the Ethical Trading Initiative, the United Nations Global Compact and the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises.
In terms of the issues raised above, the Guidelines are particularly relevant. These address, in specific sections, areas of business responsibility and good practice that include such subjects as general policies, employment
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ECGD Claims Payments 1997–98 to 2002–03 Sterling equivalent Country 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 Grand total Algeria 23,693,674 3,049,252 — — — — 26,742,926 Australia — — — — 1,167,570 3,489,194 4,656,764 Belgium — — — — 1,634,019 14,038,784 15,672,803 Brazil 367,750 — — — — — 367,750 Cameroon 563,890 — — — — — 563,890 Cote D'Ivoire 154,917 6,549,089 3,251,266 3,486,080 3,651,528 3,475,657 20,568,536 Croatia — — — 201,998 — — 201,998 Denmark 1,638,109 — — — — — 1,638,109 Dominica — — — — — 1,181,816 1,181,816 Egypt 10,273,471 1,812,134 24,117 842,350 — — 12,952,072 El Salvador — — — 1,816,204 600,952 2,417,156 Ethiopia 1,283,544 1,140,067 883,181 810,691 116,763 — 4,234,245 France — — — — 179,170 — 179,170 Ghana 33,109 2,344,492 3,872,028 16,433,380 32,745,333 32,320,082 87,748,425 India 583,249 551,519 5,210,740 997,900 478,168 5,997,566 13,819,143 Indonesia — 42,106,060 202,431,361 229,424,698 171,380,663 148,618,662 793,961,445 Iran (Islamic Republic of) 37,717 — — — — — 37,717 Iraq 4,629,181 — — — — 440,515 5,069,696 Israel 2,166,773 261,260 — — — — 2,428,033 Jordan 31,576,047 15,484,576 3,417,986 1,976,252 951,045 1,128,840 54,534,746 and industrial relations, consumer interests and competition. The Government, by means of the UK National Contact Point, encourage strongly companies' involvement in and adherence to the Guidelines; which are supported by the business community and trade union federations.
The Government expect companies operating in the UK and UK companies investing overseas, to act in accordance with the principles set out in the Guidelines and to perform to at least the standards they suggest.
§ Tim LoughtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps she is taking to ensure that international trade works in the interests of both developing and developed countries. [120404]
§ Ms HewittThe World Bank estimates that eliminating all barriers to trade in goods could generate an extra US$250 billion to US$620 billion in global income, up to half of which would go to developing countries. In terms of poverty reduction, this could lift over 300 million people out of poverty by 2015.
This is why the Government are ambitious about pursuing the development agenda for the current round of trade talks launched at the fourth WTO ministerial conference in Doha, Qatar in November 2001.
I am working closely with Cabinet colleagues, as well as within the EU and internationally, to secure a successful outcome to the fifth WTO ministerial in Cancun, Mexico this September. We are committed to making sure that the Doha round delivers real benefits for the world's poor.