§ 72. Mr. Dalyellasked the Prime Minister if she will make it the policy of Her Majesty's Government to seek to promote the preservation of tropical forests through the co-ordination of aid policies in the form of incentives to projects for viable agriculture and forestry schemes in rain forest zones, with trade policies for the encouragement of commerce in sustainably produced tropical hardwoods; and if she will make a statement.
§ The Prime MinisterThe Government's commitment to the wise use and replenishment of the world's tropical forests was confirmed by my right hon. Friend the Member for Aylesbury (Mr. Raison), then Minister for Overseas Development, on 19 May, at column 18. We already support forest management projects in rain forest zones through the aid programme and are ready to consider further proposals. The Government have also given their support to the Food and Agriculture Organisation's tropical forestry action plan.
The Government ratified the international tropical timber agreement in 1984 and are a member of the related Tropical Timber Organisation, which was established in 1986. One of the principal functions of this organisation is to encourage trade in tropical hardwoods on the basis of sustainable and renewable resources.