To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will make it her policy to ban imports of timber other than from sustainable managed forests. [9535]

[holding answer 21 July 1997]: My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister made clear the Government's commitment to sustainable forestry in his answer of the 3 July, Official Report, column 234.The UK intends to adopt a new forest standard which will provide a benchmark for the regeneration of forests.We believe that the best way to protect the world's forests is by extending this approach multilaterally rather than by imposing a unilateral ban on timber imports. We will continue to work with timber-producing countries to help improve forest management standards world wide and ensure long-term conservation.