§ Mr. MeacherTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals have been put by the United Kingdom to the intersessional meeting of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development and the first preparatory conference for the special session of the UN General Assembly; and if he will place in the Library copies of the documentation discussed at this PrepCom which is relevant to the United Kingdom. [19421]
§ Mr. GummerThe United Kingdom's general approach to the special session and its preparatory meetings was set out in the consultation paper of 30 December, copies of which were placed in the Library. As a member of the European Union, the United Kingdom contributes actively to the common position of the Union, which enables us to have a significantly greater influence in UN decision making. I have placed copies in the Library of the main statements made by the presidency of the Union, at the recent preparatory meeting, on behalf of the member states, along with the co-chairman's report of the meeting. The UK has increasingly been among the leaders in the EU on environmental matters—not least on biodiversity, climate change, forest protection, and action on the marine environment.