Examination of Witnesses (Questions 180
- 183)
THURSDAY 11 NOVEMBER 1999
RT HON
MICHAEL MEACHER,
MP, MR DARRYL
BROWN AND
MR CHARLES
BRIDGE
Joan Walley
180. Can I just ask who will be going out to
Seattle?
(Mr Meacher) A lot of people is the answer to that.
The delegation is led by Stephen Byers, the Secretary of State
for Trade and Industry, and Dick Caborn as the Minister for Trade
will obviously be playing a key role. I am hopeful that I will
be able to attend because I think to send out that message about
importance of the environmental locus is extremely important.
There are representatives from DETR, DFID, DFEE, MAFF, FCO, the
Treasury as well as, of course, DTI in the lead.
181. And Parliamentarians?
(Mr Meacher) I think there are some Parliamentarians
going. Certainly I know one who has been pressing me very strongly
about it. I do not know how many, do my colleagues?
(Mr Bridge) I do not know. There is no barrier that
I am aware of. Certainly there are several European Parliamentarians
who will be present.
182. Is there funding for Parliamentarians to
go?
(Mr Meacher) I will have to consult.
Chairman
183. Clare Short is not going?
(Mr Bridge) Yes, she is. She is going for part of
the time I understand. She is taking over a high level role in
an event on the Monday before which is a conference for NGOs.
She is, I think, coming back on Tuesday.
(Mr Meacher) What is good, of course,
is that the NGOs are going to be much more involved in the process
and quite rightly so. This is going to be a much more transparent
kind of WTO. I think this is one of the important items on the
agenda.
Chairman: Thank you, Minister.
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