§ Sir Russell JohnstonTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether Her 263W Majesty's Government have considered special aid for countries whose Governments wish to preserve areas of tropical rain forest, but are forced by economic and population pressures to give them over to development.
§ Mr. Chris PattenThe United Kingdom actively supports the tropical forestry action plan, which has a conservation component. Our bilateral project aid expenditure on forestry has increased threefold over the last five years. We have also contributed to the World Wildlife Fund's innovative scheme to conserve the Korup national park in Cameroon, one of Africa's richest areas of rain forests. We are ready to do more, but we must also respect aid recipient Governments' views on the competing priorities for aid funds.