HC Deb 10 April 1989 vol 150 cc343-5W
Mr. Dalyell

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what support is being given to Dr. John Proctor and the forest regeneration team at Maraca on their work on management of regeneration where rain forests have been destroyed and abandoned and on why rain forests end abruptly and give way to natural savanna.

Mr. Chris Patten

Since 1987 the ODA has committed £80,500 in support of the forest regeneration team which forms part of the Maraca rain forest project organised by the Royal Geographical Society.

Mr. Dalyell

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what studies he is financing in the Maraca project or elsewhere to help stem forest destruction by better understanding of the significance of different soil types.

Mr. Chris Patten

The soil studies of the Maraca project, which the ODA helps to fund, are directed to this end by, for example, helping to understand the relationships between the forest and the soil in the critical boundary zone between the rainforest and the savanna woodland. Examples of other ODA activities include the Overseas Development Natural Resources Institute's land use work in Belize, Cameroon, Indonesia and Sri Lanka and the ODA-supported land use studies being carried out by the World Wide Fund for Nature in Cameroon and Nigeria.

Mr. Dalyell

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to monitor the work of the joint Brazil—United Kingdom research project on Maraca Island in the Amazon.

Mr. Chris Patten

The ODA's forestry and environment advisers have been monitoring the project on the basis of regular reports from the research team since April 1987. A review conference took place in Brazil from 3 to 5 April; we expect a report from the Royal Geographical Society.

Mr. Dalyell

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consideration he has given, pursuant to the statement on 13 MarchOfficial Report, column 170, to the report of Mr. Philip Morrice on fire-fighting and related equipment for saving the Amazon forest; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Chris Patten

Mr. Morrice reported that the Brazilian authorities needed aircraft, vehicles, patrol boats and telecommunications equipment for fire fighting. I understand that the Brazilian Government are formulating an environmental project, which would cover fire fighting equipment, for consideration by the World Bank. We are discussing with the Brazilians what technical cooperation we could offer in the area of rain forest management and protection.

Mr. Dalyell

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on(a) multilateral and (b) bilateral research with Brazil on rainforest problems.

Mr. Chris Patten

Multilateral assistance for research in the Brazilian rain forest has been provided over a number of years through the FAO. Additional proposals are being considered by the International Tropical Timber Organisation and the World Bank. Bilaterally we are currently considering with the Brazilian authorities how and where we might provide further support for their programmes of research on rainforest problems.

Mr. Dalyell

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the statement of 13 March,Official Report, column 172, to what debt-for-nature swop the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, the hon. Member for Enfield, North (Mr. Eggar), was referring following his visit to Bolivia; and what lessons have been learned.

Mr. Chris Patten

My hon. Friend was referring to the arrangement agreed between the United States charity, Conservation International, and the Bolivian Government in July 1987. I understand that Conservation International bought $650,000 of Bolivia's commercial bank debt at an 85 per cent. discount. In return for cancellation of the debt the Bolivian Government undertook to implement conservation measures in the Beni Biosphere reserve in northern Bolivia. Although it is too early to judge the outcome of the scheme, we believe that this type of market based debt reduction mechanism can play a modest but useful role in augmenting the resources available for conservation.

Mr. Dalyell

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what request he has received from the Brazilian Government for(a) further technical co-operation and (b) co-operation to understand the genetic potential of the Amazon; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Chris Patten

During his visit to London in March, the Secretary-General of the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs asked us to suggest further work under the aid programme to help cope with problems of the rainforests. We shall be writing shortly offering assistance in one or more of several areas: genetic resources, social forestry and forestry management and further help for research projects like the Maraca project. The Secretary-General of the Brazilian Ministry of the Interior called on me on 6 April and undertook to send proposals for additional aid projects in this area. We offered help in training and institutional links. I hope to send out professional advisers shortly to discuss the details with the Brazilian authorities.