§ The Minister for the Environment (Mr. Elliot Morley)I am pleased to announce that the 2003 UK Government annual report on progress towards sustainable development,"Achieving a better quality of life" was launched today. This is the fourth and last annual report of progress against the 1999 Sustainable Development Strategy for the UK.
The report sets out the progress and key developments made towards sustainable development since the 1999 strategy, and brings together the latest data on the 15 headline indicators which comprise the `quality of life barometer'. It also provides an overview of many of the initiatives and mechanisms that the UK Government have put in place that help contribute to 'a better quality of life for everyone'.
The headline indicators show that overall we are making progress across the three pillars of sustainable development: the economy, society and the environment. However we are doing better in some areas than others. It recognises that much more remains to be done—by Government, business and the individual—to put the UK firmly on a path towards sustainable development.
The UK Government, in partnership with the Scottish Executive, Welsh Assembly Government and the Northern Ireland Administration, will soon be consulting to develop a new strategy for the UK to provide a strong basis for renewed action to deliver sustainable development.
The report will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses, and is also available on the UK Government's sustainable development website.