§ Mr. Llew SmithTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the outcome of the international technical conference on plant genetic resources held in Leipzig; and if he will place in the Library copies of United Kingdom submissions to the conference, with the global plan of action agreed at the conference. [35930]
§ Mr. BoswellThe fourth international technical conference on plant genetic resources of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations took place in Leipzig from 17 to 23 June 1996. The conference unanimously adopted a global plan of action for the conservation and sustainable utilisation of plant genetic 163W resources for food and agriculture, and a Leipzig declaration on conservation and sustainable utilisation of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture.
The United Kingdom delegation participated fully in the negotiations, but the United Kingdom made no formal submission to the conference.
Final copies of the adopted text of the global plan and of the declaration have not yet been made available by the FAO, but I shall arrange for copies of the final negotiating drafts, as adopted, to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.