§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for the Environment, failing completion of an international licensing system under a law of the sea convention, whether it is proposed to provide interim arrangements to cover exploration in the region of the Antarctic.
§ Mr. LuardI have been asked to reply.
Antarctic exploration and any interim arrangements in this regard are not matters under discussion at the United Nations Law of the Sea Conference; international arrangements covering Antarctic exploration are the subject of the Antarctic treaty. The United Kingdom is a party to this treaty and at the ninth consultative meeting it was recommended that Antarctic mineral exploration should be the subject of further consultation between the parties prior to consideration at the tenth consultative meeting.