Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent measures he has taken to helpcountries counter desertification. [11140]Dr. Liam Fox: The United Kingdom has currently committed this financial year about £57 million in bilateral assistance for projectsrelevant to desertification. The United Kingdom ratified the UN desertification convention on 18 October 1996 and continues to playa leading role in negotiations to finalise financial and institutional arrangements for implementation of the convention.