Written question asked by Mike Hancock (Liberal Democrat) on Friday, 11 November 2005, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 15 November 2005. It was answered by Elliot Morley (Labour) on Tuesday, 22 November 2005 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Palm Oil

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make it her policy to discuss new regulations with EU colleagues on preventing the importation of palm oil for food production whose production has damaged the habitat of the orangutan.

Answer: There have not been any specific discussions concerning the destruction of orangutan habitats for palm oil plantations to date.DEFRA are commissioning research work into the impacts of internationally sourced commodity production on biodiversity. This work will seek to identify the range of commodities with the largest effects on global biodiversity; palm oil will be one of the commodities investigated. The outcomes of this work will inform future policy development in the UK and abroad. Further research is also being undertaken under the auspices of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil. This was established in 2004 and is running a pilot programme in sustainable palm oil production in Malaysia."Notes:""The RSPO is an international organisation which has a range of members from across the globe, (NGOs, businesses and public sector), who recognise the importance of establishing a legal and sustainable international trade in palm oil. Further information on it can be found at: http://www.sustainable-palmoil.org"

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 439 c1847W;439 c1849W; 29029
Session: 2005-06
Subjects: Conservation Food EU action Import controls Production Primates Wildlife Palm oil
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk