To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the implications for the UK of the findings of the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research report on Antarctic climate change and the environment. (304584)

I have been asked to reply.

The Government welcome this comprehensive and timely report from the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) which has been circulated to all delegations ahead of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change meeting in Copenhagen for their consideration. Antarctica is an important barometer for global climate change and changes there will have far reaching impacts including on the UK. I congratulate all those involved in the SCAR report in particular those UK scientists, most notably from the British Antarctic Survey, who played a leading role. The Government are committed to the protection of the Antarctic environment and strongly support the Antarctic treaty and its environmental protocol. I recently launched for consultation the draft Antarctic Bill which will add to the protection we give to Antarctica. The report will be discussed in detail at the Antarctic treaty meeting of experts on climate change in April 2010 and also at the Antarctic treaty consultative meeting in Uruguay in May.