Biosafety Protocol (Hansard, 28 February 2002)

HC Deb 28 February 2002 vol 380 c1504W 1504W

§ Mr. Peter Ainsworth
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she intends to ratify the biosafety protocol. [34545]

§ Margaret Beckett
Ratification of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety by the United Kingdom is partly dependent on legislative action at the European Community level. The European Commission is shortly due to issue proposals for such legislation. The UK will press for early progress in negotiations on these proposals, so that we may be in a position to ratify the Protocol before the end of this year.