HL Deb 08 December 1987 vol 491 cc63-5

2.47 p.m.

Lord Campbell of Croy

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper.

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what will be their representation at the European-African Conference on Development and the Environment in Dakar in January 1988.

The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Glenarthur)

My Lords, Her Majesty's Government will be represented at official level. The exact composition of the delegation will depend on the contents of the conference papers, which have not yet been received.

Lord Campbell of Croy

My Lords, I thank my noble friend for his reply. Will not that meeting of the representatives of EC countries and some 24 African states provide good opportunities for progress and co-operation in protecting the environment, following the international conference in Venice in October which was sponsored by the Advisory Committee on Pollution of the Sea?

Lord Glenarthur

My Lords, my noble friend is right. The discussions will concentrate upon the marine environment, combating the encroachment of deserts, and environmental impact assessment.

Lord Bottomley

My Lords, do I understand that an official will represent the United Kingdom at the conference? Does it not warrant the attendance of a Minister?

Lord Glenarthur

My Lords, most of the difficulty has arisen from the fact that we have not yet had the details that we require. The Commission acknowledged that it might be impossible to agree a political declaration unless sufficient Ministers attended, but, at the same time, it apologised for the delay in circulating the papers which have been prepared by the French but which have not yet been issued. We shall be sufficiently represented by officials.

Lord Renton

My Lords, is my noble friend aware that some of the African countries are over-populated to such an extent that they cannot support their populations, and that they are certain to become even more over-populated, which will threaten the environment? Will the Government's representatives refer to the problem of that over-population at the conference?

Lord Glenarthur

My Lords, that will be a very broad matter for the conference to discuss. The Question on the Order Paper concerns our representation and how that will stand. However, as I said to my noble friend Lord Campbell of Croy, the discussion will concentrate on the marine environment, the encroachment of deserts and how that can best be tackled, and also environmental impact assessment. The point that my noble friend makes is well taken.

Lord Cledwyn of Penrhos

My Lords, I understood the noble Lord to say that the papers did not arrive from the Commission in time to enable Her Majesty's Government to decide whether to send a Minister or an official. Have they yet received the papers? If not, how are they in a position to decide who to send?

Lord Glenarthur

My Lords, the fact is that my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for the Environment and my honourable friend the Minister for Overseas Development have been asked to attend. However, the conference is in January. The request that they attend has only recently been forthcoming. Indeed, I ought to tell the noble Lord that other countries are in similar difficulties and will not necessarily be able to field Ministers to attend this conference.

Lord Cledwyn of Penrhos

My Lords, can the Minister say whether European countries are sending Ministers or officials?

Lord Glenarthur

My Lords, yes. I can tell the noble Lord that I understand that no other country can yet confirm ministerial attendance at the conference.

Lord Paget of Northampton

My Lords, is the noble Lord aware that Her Majesty's Government are to be congratulated on what I think is a new policy of wanting to know what the issue is about before they go and stick their nose in?

Lord Glenarthur

My Lords, the noble Lord is right. It is important that this conference should take place, but at the same time it is extremely important that we are told precisely the terms of reference for the conference.

Lord Campbell of Croy

My Lords, while various international conference agreements have been reached and are now coming into force, are not their purposes frustrated when too few facilities are available at ports for receiving waste materials such as discharge from oily bilges?

Lord Glenarthur

My Lords, my noble friend is going into detail. Perhaps I can reassure him. Annexes I and II of MARPOL 73/78—of which I think my noble friend is aware— are now in force. Annex II is concerned with noxious liquid substances. It is hoped that other annexes, such as those applying to garbage from ships, can come into force in due course.

Forward to