HC Deb 02 March 1990 vol 168 cc351-2W
Mr. Flynn

To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to her reply to the hon. Member for Basingstoke (Mr. Hunter),Official Report, 22 February, columns 872–73, how the figures of (a) £3 million United Kingdom annual contribution to the United Nations environment programme and (b) £100 million United Kingdom contribution over three years to the conservation of tropical forests were reached.

The Prime Minister

The United Kingdom more than doubled its contribution to UNEP in 1989 in recognition of the increasing awareness and importance of international environmetal issues and the need to strengthen UN EP's capacity to meet these challenges.

In deciding to commit a further £100 million of bilateral aid over the next three years as part of Britain's help to conserve tropical forests we took account of the global significance of the issue, the way in which we judge the United Kingdom is equipped to help effectively in this field, the scope for contribution from other aid donors and other pressures on our aid programme resources.