§ Mr. HoramTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many of the Department's policies have been screened for their environmental impact since June 2001; how many environmental appraisals have been conducted, and on what policy issues; and what information has been published about these screenings and appraisals. [124710]
§ Mr. RammellAs well as working with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to deliver international environmental policy objectives, the FCO takes environmental issues into account when formulating policy; and, particularly, potential impact on the FCO's two Public Service Agreements that relate to environment as a pillar of sustainable development (Business Plan 2003-06):
Public Service Agreement 7:
Make globalisation work for sustainable development in the UK and internationally (especially in Africa) by promoting democracy and the rule of law, good economic and environmental governance, and security of long-term energy supply, measured by specific underlying targets.
Public Service Agreement 11:
Improvement in the governance, environment and security of the overseas territories, and more diversified economic development, as measured by implementation of the commitments in the 1999 White Paper "Partnership for Progress and Prosperity—Britain and the Overseas Territories".
As detailed in the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary to the right hon. Member for North-East Fife (Mr. Campbell), Official Report, column 472W, the FCO is also in the process of developing a Sustainable Development Strategy.
The FCO has committed itself to implementing the terms of "The Framework for Sustainable Development on the Government Estate". Further information on this is available on the FCO website (www.fco.gov.uk).
The commitments of the Framework for Sustainable Development will be applied to the whole of the FCO UK estate, although time-scales may vary depending on the location and nature of the site.