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Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Answer

Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will undertake a study of the security implications for Jamaica of a sudden reduction in the price paid by the European Commission for sugar from African, Caribbean and Pacific producers. [203554] Mr. Rammell: There are no plans to implement such a study. However, we are keenly aware of the potential impact of the EU sugar regime on Jamaica and other African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries. That is why we support the EU Commission's work to produce a credible and properly funded action plan to help mitigate negative consequences. To assist the Commission in this, the Department for International Development has commissioned from the Overseas Development Institute a report entitled "Forthcoming changes in EU sugar/banana markets: a menu of options for an effective EU transitional assistance package". This report should help those countries affected by reform to determine their priorities for a transitional package. In order to address particular security concerns in the region, I visited Jamaica in October to adopt the UK/ Caribbean Regional Security Cooperation Plan. The purpose of the plan is to assist Jamaica and other countries in the region, to implement reforms to their security sectors in order to be better able to respond to the growing challenges posed by increased criminality and drug trafficking.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

203554; 428 c1066-7W

Session

2004-05

Subjects

Prices Security Sugar Bananas Jamaica ACP countries Common sugar regime

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk