§ Mr. John Huntasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether his Department was represented at the Council of Europe Ministerial Conference on the Environment held in Brussels on 23rd and 24th March; and if he will make a statement on the outcome of the discussions.
§ Mr. CroslandMy Department was represented by my noble Friend the Baroness Stedman, who led the United Kingdom delegation. A full and useful exchange of views took place between Ministers present. They agreed on the general principles which should guide them in developing policies for the environment, and approved a number of specific resolutions covering: reconciliation of economic development with protection of the natural environment; protection of wildlife; and voluntary participation in nature conservation. A major outcome of the Conference was Ministers' agreement to the preparation of a legal instrument on the conservation of European wildlife and natural habitats. At the invitation of the Swiss Government, Ministers agreed that a further conference should be convened in due course.