§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what quantitive assessment she has made of the effect of(a) tariff rates and (b) tariff escalation on the economies and living standards of developing countries. [146641]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienThe best source of information on this topic are the large number of studies which have already been undertaken by international organisations such as the World Bank, IMF, UNCTAD and the OECD, and by charitable organisations such as Oxfam. The work of these organisations demonstrates the need to look at all barriers to trade and the need for fundamental trade policy reform.
It remains, however, very difficult to make an accurate quantitative economic assessment of the overall impact of tariffs and tariff escalation on developing country markets. The World Bank have, however, estimated that the comprehensive reform of all aspects of agricultural policies in developed countries could boost the income of developing countries by as much as £100 billion.