§ Mr. Martyn JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on her Department's Biodiversity Strategy. [19672]
§ Clare ShortThe Department for International Development (DFID) is committed to providing continued assistance to help poor people in developing countries benefit from safeguarding biodiversity, both through the bilateral programme and the UK contribution to the Global Enviornment Facility (which is the financial mechanism for assisting developing countries implement the Convention on Biological Diversity). During negotiations with multilateral organisations, DFID will also pay particular attention to the impact of intellectual property rights on the interests of indigenous and local 501W communities who depend on local biodiversity for their livelihoods. To assist in the identification and provision of assistance in situations with opportunities for both alleviating poverty and safeguarding biodiversity, DFID is reviewing its bilateral biodiversity strategy in co-operation with interested parties, including NGOs.