§ Mr. MeacherTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he plans to put forward at the 19th meeting of the United Nations environment programme governing council; and if he will place in the Library copies of the decisions taken at the last five meetings of the UNEP governing council. [12370]
§ Mr. GummerThe Government's main objective at the governing council will be to secure decisions which help to restore confidence in the United Nations environment programme and hence to reverse the recent decline in financial contributions, particularly from major donors. We believe UNEP needs a governing structure which provides political guidance and a clear direction so that it can concentrate on its core activities of monitoring the state of the global environment, identifying emerging problems and stimulating international action to deal with those problems. We shall be seeking to agree a programme of work for the organisation over the next biennium—1998–99—which focussed on key priorities such as work on chemicals, biosafety and the oceans.
Copies of the decisions of the 18th governing council in 1995 are being placed in the Library. Those from the four preceding governing councils will follow shortly.