Secretary of State Supports Dorset MPs Microfinance Campaign

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 22nd Oct 2003

Local MP for Mid Dorset, Annette Brooke, welcomed the newly appointed Secretary of State for International Development, to address the AGM of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Microfinance of which she is the Chair, yesterday.

Hilary Benn MP thanked Annette Brooke for setting up the group and welcomed the vital work that the APPG had made in the past year increasing awareness of and interest in microfinance as a means of alleviating world poverty.

Hilary Benn said: "Access to microfinance in developing countries really does make a difference to the living standards of some of the world's poorest people helping more than 35 million people worldwide.

"Microfinance does work and I support the work of the APPG in raising the profile of Microfinance in helping to meet the Millennium Development Goals."

Annette Brooke outlined the group's achievements in promoting the success of microfinance programmes over the past year. In particular, she welcomed the support of the 180 MPs who have supported the group by endorsing a letter from the group to the President of the World Bank.

Presenting the 180 signed letters to Sheila Davie, Director of Results UK, and to Harriet Stewart-Jones, a local Results campaigner from Poole, Mrs. Brooke said:

"It is a tremendous success to have received so much support from so many MPs. This campaign has significantly raised the profile of microfinance in Parliament, and the importance and effectiveness of microfinance in lifting the poorest out of poverty."

Delegates from a range of charities, non-governmental organisations and international development think-tanks attended the meeting alongside a number of MPs and representatives from DfID (the Department for International Development).

The Secretary of State for International Development answered questions from the floor and participated in a discussion on how the group, its members and supporters can work with DfID to further promote Microfinance programmes.

Annette presented photographs from her visit during the summer recess to microfinance projects in Ghana which was arranged by the organisation Opportunity International UK.

At the AGM, Annette Brooke retained her position of Chair and although unable to attend the meeting, MP for Poole, Robert Syms remained an officer of the group.