§ Lord Norrieasked Her Majesty's Government:
What action they have taken since the publication of their White Paper on the environment in providing advice to those British companies which are contributing to or otherwise connected with construction projects or investment programmes in overseas countries, on the need to consider the likely ecological or environmental implications of such projects or programmes.
§ The Minister of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Lord Hesketh)The White Paper on the environment (Cm. 1200, paragraph 4.52) indicated the kind of issues companies should consider in relation to the environmental impact of their business operations both at home and overseas. Such issues were also reflected in the Industry Agenda for Action approved at the 1990 Bergen Conference on Sustainable Development. Her Majesty's Government are keeping in close touch with the follow-up work to this conference being undertaken by the International Chamber of Commerce.
Further, British companies who approached Her Majesty's Government for financial support in bidding for, or executing, construction projects overseas are advised at an appropriate stage that the ecological and environmental consequences of the project must be fully identified and, where appropriate, solutions provided if their applications are to succeed. Since the publication of the White Paper on the environment the application forms for support from the Aid and Trade Provision and Overseas Project Fund have been revised so that the applicant is required specifically to address the environmental aspects of the project. New guidance has been issued to officials in my department in order to give greater weight to environmental considerations in the assessment of such applications.