HC Deb 12 January 2000 vol 342 cc183-4W
Mr. Andrew George

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of the impact of conservation projects, which have been(a) funded and (b) part funded by her Department, upon the indigenous peoples of Africa. [104184]

Clare Short

My Department provides a Project Completion Report for all our major projects. The reports provide an indication of project success, early impacts, the expected longer term impact, including impact on local people.

We have also recently completed a substantial global evaluation of British bilateral and joint-funded project support for environmental improvement and protection. Overall, nearly two thirds of these projects achieved their objectives successfully. A key finding was that the protection and better management of the environment is critical to the achievement of the International Development Targets. We are currently preparing a policy paper which addresses the contribution of environmental protection to the overall aim of poverty elimination.

Mr. Andrew George

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what guidelines her Department has issued to(a) assess the needs and (b) protect the rights of indigenous peoples who (i) are likely to be and (ii) have been affected by conservation projects (1) funded and (2) part funded by her Department. [104185]

Clare Short

Along with other member states, we are party to a resolution of the Development Council of the European Union on "Indigenous peoples within the framework of the development co-operation of the Community and Member States". This was passed by the Development Council in November 1998, having been helped through the negotiation process under our own Presidency of the EU in the first half of that year. The resolution recognises the important role played by indigenous people in the management of natural resources and the maintenance of biodiversity. It recognises their rights to choose their own development paths and to have a direct voice in development programmes which affect their way of life. We actively uphold these principles in our all-bilateral work, and in the work we do in collaboration with others.