§ Mr. SheermanTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what action she takes to ensure that rare breeds of animals do not die out. [87756]
§ Mr. MorleyThe Government have made a commitment under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) to conserve genetic resources for food and agriculture in the UK. The UK National Co-ordinator for Farm Animal Genetic Resources (FAnGR) in Defra has responsibility for co-ordinating the activities of NGOs, breed societies, research institutes and Government to ensure that appropriate action is being taken to save breeds at risk and to avoid duplication of effort. Defra is in the process of publishing a UK country report on FAnGR which makes several recommendations on the conservation and utilisation of the UK's breeds at risk, including the creation of a national steering committee to oversee a national action plan for the maintenance of our native breeds. (See Defra website for a copy of the final draft of the report, www.defraweb.science.publications.)