§ 65. Mr. Malcolm BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he supports the creation of a planet protection fund; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Heathcoat-AmoryWe do not need new international institutions to tackle the environmental problems facing the world today. Instead, we support the use of the existing bilateral and multilateral channels for environmental assistance, adapting or improving those channels as necessary. In her statement in the House on 26 October my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister drew attention to the support expressed in the Langkawi declaration on the environment for existing international environmental organisations, especially the United Nations environment programme. We consider that any additional resources should not go towards creating new bureaucracies but directly to measures to protect and improve the environment.