ACTION AID AND THE LISBON TREATY

That this House notes that with regard to comments made by the Foreign Secretary in his opening speech of the Second Reading Debate in the House of Commons on 21st January 2008 claiming that Action Aid supported the Treaty of Lisbon provisions on development co-operation, Action Aid has clarified its position in a letter of 25th January to the Foreign Secretary, stating it believes `it would be premature to conclude that the Treaty is going to deliver the changes needed to improve European development policy'; further notes that in the same letter Action Aid have said that they ` . . . have reservations on the Treaty's discussion of trade, and particularly on the proposed extension of the Commission's competency to cover services, investment and intellectual property'; and believes that this clarification of the position of Action Aid should be declared when citing the support of this organisation in relation to EU development policy and Lisbon Treaty matters.