§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards the European Commission's proposals suggesting that environmental assessment studies should be prepared and made mandatory in mining applications.
§ Mr. Giles ShawThe Commission's proposals are directed to a wider range of projects. The position of the Government is that we fully support the principle of environmental assessment and encourage its use in appropriate cases, but we are not convinced of the need for a rigid statutory approach which would involve prescribing a long list of types of project for which assessment would be compulsory. Discussions are continuing in the Council of Ministers to identify a common basis for environmental assessment which can be accepted by all member states.