Antarctic (Hansard, 17 July 1990)

§ Mr. Simon Hughes
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will announce his proposals to protect the Antarctic environment for the special Antarctic treaty consultative meeting to be held in November in Santiago.

§ Mr. Maude
When consultations with our Antarctic treaty partners have been completed.

§ Mr. Simon Hughes
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the purpose of the liability protocol meeting on the minerals convention.

§ Mr. Maude
To explore and discuss all proposals relating to article 8(7) of the convention on the regulation of Antarctic mineral resource activities.

§ Mr. Simon Hughes
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will now support the proposal of the New Zealand Government for an environmental protocol to the Antarctic treaty.

§ Mr. Maude
We favour an environmental protocol to the Antarctic treaty.
The Prime Minister of New Zealand has said that New Zealand will work with Antarctic treaty partners on a draft of such a protocol for presentation to the Santiago meeting in November. We look forward to seeing the draft.

§ Mr. Tony Banks
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received from non-governmental organisations calling for Antarctica to be declared a wilderness reserve.

§ Mr. Maude
We have received representations from the World Wide Fund for Nature, from Wildlife Link and from the Women's Institute.

§ Mr. Tony Banks
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has regarding New Zealand's decision to set aside ratification of the convention on the regulation of Antarctic mineral resource activities; if Her Majesty's Government will reconsider ratifying the convention; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Maude
We are aware of the New Zealand Prime Minister's press statement of 6 July. We continue to support the Antarctic minerals convention as a means of ensuring protection for the Antarctic environment.

§ Mr. Tony Banks
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give 495W consideration to the establishment of a long-term legally binding moratorium on minerals mining in Antarctica; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Maude
The Antarctic minerals convention provides for a binding moratorium on mineral exploration and development which would remain in force until such time as the convention's commission decided otherwise by consensus. We fully support such a moratorium and therefore the early entry into force of the convention.