§ 40. Mr. WorthingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contribution the Overseas Development Administration is making to examining the link between environment and population growth; and to what extent the strategies in the Rio declaration present an opportunity for expanding current activities.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Mr. Mark Lennox-Boyd)The Overseas Development Agency has recently initiated a programme of research into the links between environ-ment and population. The Rio declaration and programme of action confirmed the need for a better understanding of these relationships. We will continue to look for opportunities to develop our activities in this area.
§ Mr. WorthingtonAction, rather than research, is needed. "Agenda 21" states clearly that a surging world population, linked to unsustainable consumption patterns, led to the present threat to the earth. We know that the support provided by family planning organisations in laying down voluntary principles has worked; we also know that, in 20 years, the average size of families in the developing countries has fallen from six to four. Is it not time that we allowed choice to the countless millions of women who are currently denied an opportunity to choose the size of their families?
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydI believe that we need further research as well as action. We have committed substantial resources to research—both World Health Organisation research, to which we have contributed £2.75 million, and our own research, to which we give £200,000 a year. We are also bringing about considerable action: we hope to launch new projects in Kenya, Ghana and Zimbabwe this year alone, and we have quadrupled the funds for such action over the past 10 years or so.
§ Mr. David NicholsonPerhaps unusually, I support what was said by the hon. Member for Clydebank and Milngavie (Mr. Worthington). Does my hon. Friend recognise that there is widespread Conservative support for the placing of greater emphasis on population policy in the Government's development programmes? Is he aware that, in recent years, the Government have established a fine record in that regard? Will my hon. Friend and his colleagues, however, put pressure on large and wealthy nations —notably the United States—to fund international bodies that are interested in population and environmental issues?
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydI agree with the general thrust of my hon. Friend's question. At present, we are taking particular action in regard to the European Community. We are pressing the European Commission with a view to encouraging the Community to provide more support for population programmes, and we intend to move a motion to that effect at a meeting of the Development Council in November, which I hope to attend.