Antarctica (Hansard, 15 April 1991)

§ Mr. Simon Hughes
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he consulted(a) the United States of America and (b) Japan on the recent review of Government policy towards Antarctica.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
We did not consult the USA or Japan during the recent review of United Kingdom policy on Antarctica. However, once the review was complete we put the United Kingdom proposals to all Antarctic treaty consultative parties, including the USA and Japan, for their consideration in advance of the special consultative meeting in Madrid later this month.

§ Mr. Simon Hughes
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are to be the objectives of the Government at the forthcoming meeting of Antarctic treaty parties in Madrid in April with regard to(a) a prohibition on mining, (b) the time limit on any prohibition and (c) the mechanisms necessary to extend the prohibition.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
My hon. Friend the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, wrote to all Members of Parliament on 25 March setting out the United Kingdom's proposals for a moratorium on mining in Antarctica which we believe may hold the key to a return to consensus.
We have not proposed a specific length for the moratorium or a mechanism for its termination or extension. We have, however, made clear our requirement that a legal vacuum at the end of the moratorium should be avoided. These issues will be taken forward at the meeting in Madrid.
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§ Mr. Simon Hughes
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which European Community partners he consulted on the recent review of Antarctica policy.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
We did not consult our EC partners while conducting the review of United Kingdom policy on Antarctica. However, once the review was complete, we put our proposals to all Antarctic treaty consultative parties including France, Belgium, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands and Germany, for their consideration in advance of the special consultative meeting that will be held in Madrid later this month.