§ Mr. Eric ClarkeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when the Government's response to the Government Panel on Sustainable Development's Third Annual Report will be published. [22017]
§ Mr. PrescottThe Government's response to the Third Annual Report of the Government Panel on Sustainable Development has been published today. I am pleased that we have been able to respond positively to many of the Panel's recommendations. The Panel is a valuable source of advice for Government in the achievement of sustainable development, an issue which this Government has pledged will be at the heart of all policy-making. I wish to express my gratitude to the Convenor of the Panel, Sir Crispin Tickell, and his colleagues for their continued commitment to helping to identify new sustainable ways of enhancing the quality of life and prosperity for everyone.
Examples where the Government has been able to respond positively to the Panel's recommendations are:
- on Subsidies: action is being taken to see whether the objectives of subsidies are compatible with sustainable development
- on Aviation Fuel: the Prime Minister pressed for action at the UN Special Session in June
- on Climate change: the Government has set the pace internationally on targets for reducing carbon dioxide emissions
- on Environmental Education: the Government has announced a new Environmental Education Panel, under the chairmanship of Sir Geoffrey Holland; commissioned the Council for Environmental Education to draft a code of good practice; and provided additional resources for the Environmental Action Fund
275 - on Housing and Land Use Planning: the Government is looking at ways of using fiscal incentives to meet environmental objectives.
I am placing copies of the response in the Library.