§ Mr. Llew SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make statement on progress made to date in the intergovernmental negotiating committee for desertification how many 219W sessions of the Committee have been held; how the United Kingdom is represented; and what are the Overseas Development Administration's policies to mitigate desertification.
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydThe intergovernmental negotiating committee has held one preparatory and two substantive sessions. The United Kingdom is represented by a delegation led by the Overseas Development Administration and including officials of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Department of the Environment. Negotiations to date have been concerned with the general scope of the convention, and will now proceed to negotiation of text.
We support national plans of action of desertification, drawn up by affected developing countries. We are providing substantial support to efforts to mitigate desertification through bilateral projects, support to non-government organisations and research, and through-our contributions to multilateral institutions.