§ Mr. Ron DaviesTo ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he last met representatives of Timber Growers United Kingdom to discuss the future of the timber industry.
§ Mr. AtkinsI have not had the pleasure of meeting representatives of Timber Growers United Kingdom yet.
§ Mr. Allan RobertsTo ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement regarding Her Majesty's Government's representation at the International Tropical Timber Organisation conference in Yokohama, Japan, from 9 to 20 November; whether Her Majesty's Government gave a commitment to continued funding to the organisation ; whether Her Majesty's Government have committed themselves to the conserva-tion and environmental recommendations of the International Tropical Timber Organisation conference 555W report ; and whether Her Majesty's Government have given a specific commitment to contribute to the project funds of the organisation.
§ Mr. AtkinsThe United Kingdom has ratified the international tropical timber agreement, and thereby accepts all the objectives arising from the United Nations conference on tropical timber which are set out in the agreement, including those relating to the sustainable utilisation and conservation of tropical forests, as well as the financial obligations due under the terms of the agreement. A representative of the Department of Trade and Industry is attending the current ITTO council session.
The United Kingdom will consider providing voluntary funding for particular projects put forward by ITTO on a case-by-case basis, and we hope that as the ITTO defines its role, its project work will be closely co-ordinated with other developments in the field, such as the FAO's tropical forest action plan, in which the United Kingdom is playing an active part.