§ Mr. Nicholas WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the precise provisions of principle 8 of agenda 21 of the Rio declaration of June 1992; what is her policy in respect of implementing those provisions; and what specific policies have been adopted by her Department in respect of those aspects of principle 8 which commit signatories to achieve sustainable development through the adoption of appropriate demographic policies.
§ Mr. SackvilleIn common with other Governments participating in the Rio summit, the United Kingdom accepts the broad principles enshrined in the Rio declaration. The Government's commitments to sustainable developments are set out in "Sustainable Development: the UK Strategy", published in January 1994, copies of which are available in the Library. Policies are formed with regard to the well-being of the population—for example in the fields of social, economic and environmental planning—rather than with regard to population size or growth.