§ Norman BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what funding, broken down by project and amount, was provided by her Department through the Darwin Initiative in each of the last five years. [61166]
§ Mr. MeacherThe Darwin Initiative is a £3 million annual programme of grants which was launched at the Rio Earth Summit in 1992. It uses UK expertise to help countries that are rich in biodiversity but poor in resources to help safeguard the world's biodiversity. Information on the total funding for each project is contained in the reports on the Darwin Initiative covering the periods from 1997–98 to 2000–01. The first three are already available in the House of Commons Library. I am arranging for copies of the fourth report to be placed in the House Library. The fifth Annual report, covering the period 2001 to 2002 will be published on 17 June 2002. I will also arrange for a copy to be placed in the House Library.