§ Mr. MeacherTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what(a) discussions and (b) other contact he has had with the World bank over the implementation of the bank's environmental management and sustainable development programmes; how many officials from his Department are on secondment to the World bank to work on environmental issues; and if he will make a statement on the impact on his departmental policy of the World bank's environmental policy programme. [40604]
§ Mr. Clappison[holding answer 15 October 1996]: Responsibility within government for the World bank rests with the Overseas Development Administration, with which the Department of the Environment co-operates very closely. The Government welcome the steps which the bank has taken to ensure that environmental concerns are properly reflected in its operations and continues to press for further improvements. There are no officials of the Department of the Environment on secondment to the World bank.
§ Mr. MeacherTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many environmental projects his Department co-sponsors with the World bank involving non-governmental organisations; and if he will make a statement on the role of non-governmental environmental and business groups in enhancing the global environment.[40599]
§ Mr. Clappison[holding answer 14 October 1996]: The Department of the Environment does not co-sponsor any environmental projects with the World bank. As I said in answer to question 40604. responsibility for the World bank rests with the Overseas Development Administration. The Government believe that non-governmental and business groups have an important role to play in supporting sustainable development and in enhancing the global environment and wishes them to develop their role further.
§ Mr. MeacherTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to article 4(4) of Council decision number 46/96 of 27 June,Official Journal of the European Communities No. C 264/28–33, of 11 September, what plans he has to make available new resources for the co-funding of projects studies, non-governmental groups and audits to further the integration of the environmental dimension into sustainable development in industrial developing countries. [40811]
1046W
§ Mr. ClappisonCouncil regulation 46/96 of 27 June addresses action by the European Community, not member states. However, the Overseas Development Administration funds, and in some cases co-funds, a wide range of projects and studies to help developing countries draw up and implement sustainable development strategies, and to help them tackle specific environmental problems. This includes support to a large number of non-governmental groups. Over £200 million was spent in this way in 1995–96. The ODA also supports work on sustainable development in developing countries through its substantial contributions to European Union development funds and to other multilateral bodies such as the World bank and the global environment facility. All the ODA's work is subject to environmental screening.
§ Mr. MeacherTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consumer research his Department has commissioned since 1990 on the uptake of, and attitude to clean technology by British industry and British exporters, and what are the liaison arrangements between his Department and the appropriate export promotion division of the Department of Trade and Industry and the research council's clean technology unit in respect of the promotion of the expansion of clean technology research, demonstration, development and utilisation. [40765]
§ Mr. ClappisonMy Department, with the Department of Trade and Industry, jointly manages the environmental technology best practice programme and the joint environmental markets unit. These programmes promote better environmental performance, including cleaner technology, and sponsor the environmental industry. Through these programmes, the Departments have undertaken attitude surveys of British industry and maintain close liaison arrangements with the export services of the DTI and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council's clean technology unit.