§ Mr. MeacherTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how timber will be labelled to ensure that it is derived from sustainable sources.
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydReliable and effective labelling systems are at an early stage of development. The Overseas Development Administration is financing international work on incentives for sustainable timber production, including the viability of labelling schemes.
§ Mr. MeacherTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he has taken to ensure that tropical timber imported into the United Kingdom will be derived from only sustainable sources by the year 2000.
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydThe key to a sustainable timber trade lies in the sustainable management of forests. Our policy is to work for the negotiation and implementation of international forestry agreements to provide a framework for the sustainable management and use of forest resources; to help to identify practical and effective incentives to curb deforestation and promote reafforestation; to encourage and assist with the adoption of national guidelines and best practices in developing countries; to assist countries develop their policies and capacities by financing projects including research, conservation, institution building and sustainable harvesting of forest resources.