Oral Answers to Questions

Sharon Hodgson Excerpts

Wednesday 1st February 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mr O’Brien]

Extensive meetings took place in Addis Ababa over the weekend, in which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State was involved at the highest level. The straight fact is that, while the oil dispute is outstanding, progress is going to be impeded. We call on all parties to acknowledge that it is in their mutual interest to pull back from the brink and reach an agreement, with the north getting the ships to sail and the south to release oil from the wells again.

[Mrs Sharon Hodgson (Washington and Sunderland West) (Lab)]

7. What steps he is taking to increase the number of people in employment in developing countries.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Development (Mr Stephen O’Brien)]

Economic growth is the primary driver of job creation, and it is a top priority among the United Kingdom’s new development policies on economic development, wealth creation and job creation. The Department is implementing programmes that will strengthen the private sector, encourage investment, improve finance for businesses and enhance the education and skills of the work force in developing countries.

[Mrs Hodgson]

At the last G20 meeting, world leaders committed to establishing a taskforce to look at employment in developed countries. With unemployment rates in developing countries above 60%, will the UK Government urge the G20 taskforce to look not only at developed countries but at developing countries as well?