§ Mr. MallonTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made since the end of the Vina del Mar conference on 6 December 1990, towards the preparation of a draft environmental protocol to protect Antarctica.
§ Mr. Garel-JonesThe Antarctic treaty parties have had no formal consultations since the meeting in Vina del Mar in December and so no further progress towards the preparation of a draft environmental protocol to protect Antarctica has been made. Discussion on the protocol will continue at the reconvened XIth special consultative meeting in Madrid in April.
§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs following the recent consultative meeting in Chile, what options he is considering for Her Majesty's Government's policy in respect of mining in Antarctica; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Garel-JonesIt was clear at the meeting in Chile that neither the Antarctic minerals convention alone nor a simple ban on mineral activity provide for a solution of the minerals issue. We are considering how best, in these circumstances, to achieve a return to consensus.