Dr. ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for the environment if, following Her Majesty's Government's signing of the Basel convention on transfrontier transport of hazardous toxic waste, on 6 October, he will make it his policy to refuse entry to the United Kingdom of any hazardous waste cargo originating in a state that has not signed the convention.
235W
§ Mr. Heathcoat-AmoryThe Basel convention prohibits a party from importing hazardous waste from a non-party. An exception to this is permissable where there is a bilateral, multilateral or regional agreement or arrangement with a non-party. The Government urge all countries to ratify the convention.
Only if there are sound environmental reasons would the United Kingdom contemplate entering into agreements or arrangements with non-parties to allow imports of hazardous waste.