§ Mr. DalyellTo ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his oral statement of 28 October,Official Report, columns 700-02, what reports he has received relating to the activities of Asian-owned logging companies in the Guyana Atlantic rainforest; and what conditions have been set for the granting of United Kingdom aid. [13888]
§ The Prime MinisterIn 1995, the Government of Guyana, in consultation with Britain and other donors, imposed a moratorium on logging concessions in order to allow time to improve its ability to manage its forests sustainability. We understand that some logging companies, including Asian-owned ones, have expressed interest in operating in Guyana but no logging concessions or exploratory permits have been awarded since then to any companies.
As a result of this, the UK has been working with the Government of Guyana to strengthen the Guyanese Forestry Commission. The £3 million contribution to the Commonwealth's Iwokrama Rainforest Programme in Guyana, announced at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting, will help conserve and sustainably manage 360,000 hectares of forest in Guyana and support 5W the efforts of the Guyanese Government to improve its forest management throughout the country. The specific conditions related to this grant are still under discussion.