§ Llew SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on matters discussed at the OSPAR officials meeting held in April; and if she will place in the Library copies of papers submitted to the meeting that refer to United Kingdom policy. [111245]
§ Mr. MeacherDuring April there were three OSPAR meetings: the Hazardous Substances Committee, the Assessment and Monitoring Committee, and an ad hoc meeting on radioactive substances. These meetings considered a wide range of issues, and in particular undertook preparatory work for the annual meeting of the OSPAR Commission, which this year will be at Ministerial level, to be held in Germany in June.
The Commission will be reviewing progress, updating the Strategies which were adopted at the last ministerial meeting in Sintra in 1998, adopting a number of specific recommendations, and adopting a declaration which will guide future work. The Commission will also meet jointly with members of the Helsinki Commission for the Baltic Sea.
The papers considered at the April meetings—about 170 in all—were working documents, and do not yet represent the position of the Commission. When the progress reports, revised strategies, and other documents have been finalised and approved by the Commission I will arrange for copies to be placed in the Library of the House. I will also provide a statement about the outcome of the June ministerial meeting.