§ Norman BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for what reason she did not make her announcement of 21 April 2004 on sustainable development by means of a oral statement to the House. [169859]
§ Mr. Morley[holding answer 30 April 2004]The Secretary of State announced the consultation 'Taking it on—developing UK sustainable development strategy together', on 21 April, to the House by means of a written statement.
On the same day both the Secretary of State and I spoke at the launch event for the consultation. We were delighted to be joined by ministerial colleagues: Charles Clarke, the Secretary of State for Education and Skills; Hilary Benn, the Secretary of State for International Development; Bill Rammell of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Angela Smith of the Northern Ireland Office, Yvette Cooper of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and Carwyn Jones from the Welsh Assembly Government; as well as Jonathon Porritt, the Chair of the Sustainable Development Commission and Klaus Topfer, the Executive Director of the UN Environmental Programme.
We are greatly looking forward to considering the responses we receive to the consultation. The consultation closes on 31 July 2004.