§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what guidelines he has given to the United Kingdom representative to the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development as to what environmental impact criteria should be applied when considering applications for project funding.
§ Mrs. ChalkerI have been asked to reply.
The agreement establishing the bank stipulated that it would adopt environmentally sound operational procedures and environmental assessment is intended to be an integral part of the project cycle and decision making progress. We have urged the bank to adopt EC standards wherever possible and the bank will promote adoption of the environmental principles of the European Community delineated in the Treaty of Rome as amended by the Single European Act in 1987. For regional projects, the principles of the UN/ECE convention on environmental impact assessment will apply where they are appropriate. The United Kingdom representative will be guided also by the Overseas Development Administration (ODA) manual on environmental assessment.