§ Mr. GardinerTo ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what652W assessment his Department has made of the effects on development of the lack of effective systems to establish property ownership in developing countries. [130192]
Mr. Gareth ThomasDFID recognises that secure rights to land and property are fundamental to poor people's ability to act as citizens and pursue their livelihoods within a democratic society and open economy. The absence of systems to establish property ownership holds back development. In many cases it excludes the poor from accessing basic services and participating in formal markets for land and property, limiting social mobility and economic opportunity. The rights of large numbers of people living in informal settlements (which make up between 30–70 per cent. of populations of urban centres in developing countries) and those of rural people dependent on natural resources are frequently not recognised by the authorities. As a result they are vulnerable to eviction and loss of physical and natural assets. Many developing countries are seeking to address these problems by remodelling their systems of land and property administration, but lack the financial resources and technical capacity to do so effectively.