Bangladesh
International Development
Lisa Nandy (Wigan, Labour)
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development
(1) what representations his Department has received concerning the Phulbari coal project in Bangladesh in each year since 2006;
(2) what meetings (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have held with GCM Resources plc since 2006;
(3) whether his Department has recently had discussions with GCM Resources plc concerning the Phulbari coal project in Bangladesh.
Alan Duncan (Minister of State, International Development; Rutland and Melton, Conservative)
The Department for International Development (DFID) is not involved in any discussions on the Phulbari mine with either GCM Resources plc or the Government of Bangladesh. We have recently answered correspondence from GCM Resources plc on the matter, restating DFID's position that we are not involved in the issue of the Phulbari mine.
DFID received a representation from NGOs in London last year, at official level. As far as we are aware this is the only representation on the project that we have received. We have received correspondence on the matter, both from those opposed to the mine, including campaign letters, and those in favour of the mine.
