Activities: Outward Delegations

From 4^th to 9^th November 2018 Nigel Evans MP led a cross-party delegation to Chile, comprised of Julia Lopez MP (Conservative), Dr. Lisa Cameron MP (SNP, Chile APPG Chair) and Sharon Hodgson MP (Labour, Shadow Public Health Minister) from the House of Commons, and Baroness Hooper CMG (Conservative) and Lord Rennard MBE (Lib Dem) from the House of Lords. During the weeklong visit the delegation had a series of ministerial meetings and engagements with parliamentary counterparts to discuss a wide range of issues.

From 16 to 21 September 2018, a UK parliamentary delegation visited Cuba with the aim of further strengthening bilateral relations, including new opportunities for trade and cooperation, and to see how recent national developments were changing the country and its people.  In Havana and visiting rural areas, the delegation gained a good understanding of the effect of the long-standing US embargo on everyday people’s lives and how this unnecessarily limits progress in Cuba and is detrimental to the everyday lives of Cuban people.

The visit provided us with a great opportunity to learn about political, economic and social aspects of Cuba and I was especially struck by two or three things.  The first was the exceptional cultural richness in Cuban society.  The second was how little change seemed to have occurred since the death of Fidel Castro.  Lastly, I remember impressive examples of bio-tech, medical research and drug development with pharmaceuticals being an areas where Cuba where there should be scope for British investment or joint ventures.