§ Mr. MeacherTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what opportunities exist under the provisions of the Darwin initiative for British-based taxonomists and entomologists to study the inventory of known species and to explore the development of inventory taxonomy of species thought likely to exist but not yet identified at research institutes and universities in the United Kingdom. [40483]
§ Mr. ClappisonThe Darwin initiative is designed to bring British expertise to bear on the biodiversity needs of developing countries, and the Department has just invited applications for the next round of funding. Taxonomic work is one of the main areas funded under the initiative. The only work on British collections is that carried out in the course of training developing country scientists.