§ Mr. CashTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals he will be putting forward on the minerals issue at the April meeting of the Antarctic treaty parties.
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydI refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State to the hon. Member for Southwark and Bermondsey (Mr. Hughes) on 20 February at column177.
§ Mr. CashTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many representations he has received from hon. Members and members of the public on the issue of Antarctic minerals.
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydWe have received over 2,000.
§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his present policy towards a prohibition on mining in Antarctica.
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydI refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State to him on 20 February 1991 at column177.
§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if it remains Government policy to ratify the convention on the regulation of Antarctic mineral resource activities.
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydThere are at present no plans to ratify the convention on the regulation of Antarctic mineral resource activities (CRAMRA).
§ Mr. MallonTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what measures he will take to prevent any waste disposal in Antarctica.
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydThe British Antarctic Survey complies fully with the waste disposal provisions of Antarctic treaty recommendation XV-3.
The long-term policy of the survey is that all wastes, other than human or kitchen waste, should be removed from the Antarctic treaty area. This policy goes further than is required by measures currently under consideration in the Antarctic treaty consultative forum.