HC Deb 29 October 1998 vol 318 cc261-2W
Mrs. Fiona Jones

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when the response to the fourth annual report of the Government Panel on Sustainable Development will be published. [57851]

Mr. Prescott

I am pleased to announce that the Government's response to the Fourth Annual Report of the Government Panel on Sustainable Development has been published today. We have been able to respond positively to many of the Panel's recommendations. The Panel is a valuable source of advice for Government in the achievement of sustainable development. I wish to express my gratitude to the Convenor of the Panel, Sir Crispin Tickell, and his colleagues for their continued commitment to helping to identify new sustainable ways of enhancing the quality of life and prosperity for everyone.

Examples where the Government have been able to respond positively to the Panel's recommendations are: on climate change emissions: we have reached an agreement with our EU partners during our UK Presidency on binding targets to meet the Kyoto Protocol target of 8 per cent. on marine biodiversity: we have set up a specialist sub-Group to ensure an integrated approach is taken to preserving the diversity of marine eco-systems; on endocrine disruptors: we have undertaken a new £3 million research programme to address male reproductive health and the marine environment. on building regulations: we have begun a comprehensive review of the existing regulations; on economic instruments: we are taking forward the Panel's recommendations in a number of areas.

I am placing copies of the response in the Library.

Mr. Burgon

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when the Government will respond to the report by the UK Round Table on Sustainable Development on Integrating Biodiversity into Management Systems. [57952]

Mr. Meacher

The Government have today published their response to the report by the UK Round Table on Sustainable Development.

The Government response to "Integrating Biodiversity into Management Systems" is positive and accepts the thrust of the Round Table's recommendations. In particular, it welcomes recommendations on keeping business abreast of biodiversity work, nationally and locally; on taking account of biodiversity in the various pollution control regimes, and on giving biodiversity an appropriate weighting in the accreditation of environmental management systems.

I wish to express my gratitude to Sir Richard Southwood and the Round Table for their valuable work in helping to identify new ways to take forward Sustainable Development.

I am placing copies of both the responses in the Library.