§ Mr. DafisTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what efforts are being made by his Department to bring into force the United Nations convention on the law of the sea.
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydI have been asked to reply.
We are working towards the achievement of a universally acceptable convention. While many of the provisions of this convention are helpful, there are serious objections to part XI, concerning sea-bed mining.
On 16 and 17 June my officials will be participating in informal consultations chaired by the United Nations Secretary-General in order to seek solutions to the problems in part XI.