§ Mr. DafisTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the Government's objective at the conference of the parties to the biodiversity convention in November. [1209]
§ Mr. ClappisonThe Government attach much importance to achieving progress under the convention on biological diversity, and the UK will be participating fully in the forthcoming conference of parties. My right hon. Friend hopes to attend the ministerial segment of the meeting, when he intends to encourage the setting of national objectives and the monitoring of progress under the convention. Other UK priorities include securing progress on the assessment and monitoring of biodiversity, including promoting taxonomy; the conservation and sustainable use of agricultural and forest biodiversity; and the need to improve the operation of the convention, for example by prioritising activity under it and moving to a less concentrated cycle of meetings.