HC Deb 18 January 1994 vol 235 cc565-6W
Mr. Bayley

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many countries had by 29 December 1993 ratified the biodiversity convention drawn up at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development.

Mr. Atkins

On the basis of notifications to the United Nations legal office in New York, 38 countries and the EC had ratified the biodiversity convention by 29 December 1993.

Mr. Bayley

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when the United Kingdom will ratify the Rio summit's biodiversity convention.

Mr. Atkins

We have made it clear that we intend to ratify the biodiversity convention subject to satisfactory progress towards securing safeguards against our concerns about its financial provisions. We have made some progress towards such safeguards and are considering what further progress can be made before we take a final decision on ratification. In the meantime, we remain fully committed to the aims of the convention as demonstrated by our "Action Plan on Biodiversity", to be published later this month, and by the Darwin initiative.