To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his Canadian counterpart on the environmental consequences of developing the Alberta tar sands; and if he will make a statement. (175660)

My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has not had a discussion specifically on the environmental consequences of developing the Alberta oil sands with his Canadian counterpart. But my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has spoken to his Canadian counterpart on a number of occasions to discuss wider environmental issues and the consequences of Climate Change. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary last spoke to Foreign Minister Bernier of Canada at the UN General Assembly on 28 September 2007. He last spoke with Canadian Minister of the Environment, Mr. John Baird, on 16 November 2007. On both occasions the need to address environmental issues in Canada was discussed.