§ Mr. Patrick HallTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he expects to publish the revised UK Strategy for Sustainable Development. [84538]
§ Mr. Prescott"A better quality of life—a Strategy for sustainable development for the UK" will be published on Monday 17 May. Copies will be placed in the House Libraries. It will also be available on my Department's website at www.detr.gov.uk.
The aim of sustainable development is to deliver a better quality of life for everyone, now and for generations to come. That means building economic prosperity in a way that protects our environment and shares that prosperity more widely. It means creating "livability" —towns, cities and rural areas which are based on sustainable communities, offering a better quality of life for all. The Sustainable Development Strategy will provide the framework for meeting those objectives, by tackling problems in a co-ordinated way and by linking local, national and international action. The Strategy will look at the overlapping themes of a sustainable economy, sustainable communities and managing the environment and resources, with the challenges and opportunities each represents. It will include indicators as a means to measure progress, including a set of headline indicators.
The Government will lead in putting the Strategy into practice. But it will be important for each sector—and all of us as individuals—to pull in the same direction. The Strategy is therefore being supported by the launch of the next phase of the "Are you doing your bit?" advertising campaign, to communicate key elements of sustainable development to everyone.