§ Mr. Chris SmithTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what information he has as to the impact of timber and pulp imports into the United Kingdom on temperate rain forest areas in Canada; what quantity of timber and pulp originates from such sources; and if he will consider removing the favourable trade tariff awarded to imports of this kind from Canada.
§ Mr. NeedhamIn 1992 (the latest complete year for which data is available) the United Kingdom imported timber and pulp from Canada valued at £224,715,000. Imports from Canada do not receive any favourable tariff treatment. In any case, it is not open to the United Kingdom to alter the tariff on these products—that is a matter for the European Community, which has a common customs tariff. As for the impact of logging on temperature rain forest areas in Canada, that is a matter for the Canadian authorities, as principle 2 of the Rio declaration makes clear.