§ Mr. MeacherTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has received from members of the British timber trade regarding the circumstances of mahogany production in the Amazon rain forests of Brazil; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Lennox-Boyd[holding answer 29 January 1993]: We have received information from the Timber Trade Federation (TTF) and M&N Norman Timber Ltd. about claims that British imports of Brazilian mahogany comes from illegal logging in indigenous peoples' lands. A TTF representative is visiting Brazil from 1 to 6 February to hold discussions with relevant Brazilian authorities to seek assurances that imported timber is not obtained illegally or in a manner which infringes indigenous peoples' rights.