To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what projects his Department funded aimed at protecting endangered species in developing countries in 2007. (245413)

The Department for International Development (DFID) recognises the importance of biodiversity conservation to its poverty reduction efforts and continues to channel significant financial support to the sector through a range of mechanisms. DFID is responsible for UK contributions to the Global Environment Facility (GEF)—the financial mechanism of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). In 2007-08 DFID provided £35 million to the GEF—of which one-third is allocated to biodiversity conservation. DFID has Partnership Programme Agreements (PPAs) with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and International Institution of Environment and Development (IIED). In 2007-08 DFID provided £3.699 million to WWF and £1.793 million (2007-08) to IIED.

In addition to the PPAs, DFID support to organisations engaged in the protection of endangered species in 2007-08 included; £281,000 (2007-08) to the Royal Society for Protection of Birds, £142,312 (2007-08) to Bird Life International and £80,587 (2007-08) to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.

Other areas of our work that contribute indirectly to endangered species protection include our advice to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)—particularly on financing conservation, and on forest and fisheries governance. We are developing a new research programme we are developing on Ecosystem Services and Poverty Alleviation (ESPA) (£30 million over five years), and have recently contributed to International Crop Diversity Trust (£10 million) and the Congo Basin Forest Fund (£60 million over three years).

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much funding his Department allocated to overseas conservation organisations in 2007. (245414)

The Department for International Development (DFID) has partnership programme agreements (PPAs) with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and International Institution of Environment and Development (MED). In 2007-8 DFID provided £3.699 million to WWF and £1.793 million (2007-8) to MED.

In addition to the PPAs, DFID support to overseas conservation organisations in 2007-8 also included; £281,000 (2007-8) to the Royal Society for Protection of Birds, £142,312 (2007-8) to Bird Life International and £80,587 (2007-8) to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.