Examination of Witnesses (Questions 160-162)
18 NOVEMBER 2003
THE RT
HON HILARY
BENN MP AND
MR ALISTAIR
FERNIE
Q160 Hugh Bayley: I leave just one
final thought in your mind. We talked about this with the World
Bank country representative, who I was very impressed with. Normally,
of course, the World Bank would oppose a socialism of one country
example, the idea that you buy not the cheapest product available
but have a protected industry, a siege economy, because in the
long-term it means that you will be producing cement works or
oil pressing plants that are not competitive regionally or globally.
Whereas I would normally accept that argument, you have in the
Occupied Territories quite literally a siege economy, a siege
imposed by another state that encircles the communities, and,
therefore, it probably does make sense to have a World Bank supported
and funded siege economy developed because it ought to be easier
when the siege is lifted when you have a two state solution to
convert a not very efficient cement works into a more efficient
cement works when facing competition. We have restructured some
of our old smokestack industries in this country rather than to
try and create from scratch competitive industries. The World
Bank said they could see some merit in that and they would think
further on that. I would be very grateful when you look at these
issues if you could perhaps involve the World Bank in this thought
process too.
Hilary Benn: I gladly undertake
to do that, although I would just say if businesses are being
established, whether it is a siege economy or not, certainly one
should be looking to try and make those businesses as efficient
as possible anyway regardless of what the political process may
bring.
Q161 Hugh Bayley: Of course.
Hilary Benn: I will go away and
look into that and come back to you, if that is okay.
Q162 Mr Battle: Just before we close,
Secretary of State, can I say on behalf of all the Members on
the visit just a word of appreciation to DFID staff who were there.
We were under the impression that they were doing an excellent
piece of work under very difficult circumstances. Also, thank
you for their help in organising the visit because it is a difficult
place to visit and they did it very well with an openness that
enabled us to hear a range of views, meet a range of people, which
has been very helpful to our inquiry. If you could pass our thanks
back, particularly to Jim Carpy and his team in Jerusalem, and
to Charlotte Dunn who made the practical arrangements to make
it easy to go through the mechanics of the visit but also to have
a very fruitful one. If you could pass that on I would be grateful.
Hilary Benn: That is very kind
of you. I would be very glad to pass that on because can I say
that we have an excellent team there. We also have an excellent
team here in London who are working as part of the Middle
East and North Africa Department, working in difficult circumstances.
Obviously we will read the report you produce with great interest.
But I hope the Committee will feel that we got the balance right,
because that is what we are seeking to do, between providing support
to deal with the immediate needs while providing help and assistance
in anticipation of the political progress that all of us want
to see and which is the only thing that is going to provide a
solution to the problems that we have seen with our own eyes and
we have been grappling with in the questions today. Thank you
very much.
Mr Battle: Thank you, Secretary of State,
and to Mr Fernie, for coming along.
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