Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of the proposed bio-ethanol food estate in West Papua on (a) the environment and (b) local (i) communities and (ii) ecosystems.

The UK Government is aware of proposals for the Food and Energy Estate programme in Merauke. We work closely with the Government of Indonesia to help increase the sustainability of commodity production, including by limiting deforestation and other environmental impacts, and supporting local communities' access to livelihoods.