Douglas Alexander (Secretary of State, Department for International Development; Paisley & Renfrewshire South, Labour)

Climate change today poses the greatest risk to the poorest countries. To achieve a fair and equitable outcome at Copenhagen, it is therefore essential that the most vulnerable countries have a voice in the decisions that are taken. The UK has provided considerable financial and technical support to developing country negotiators and civil society, helping them to prepare for and engage in high-level meetings in the run-up to Copenhagen.

Douglas Alexander (Secretary of State, Department for International Development; Paisley & Renfrewshire South, Labour)

Yes, I can give my hon. Friend the undertaking that she seeks. We have been tireless in our efforts to ensure that the voices of sub-Saharan African countries and other developing countries are heard at the negotiations. We welcome the engagement of Prime Minister Meles of Ethiopia, speaking up for and representing the interests of the African Union, but only last month I travelled to Bangladesh with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change to ensure that he was fully apprised of the clear linkage between the need to tackle dangerous climate change and the need to tackle global poverty.

Gary Streeter (South West Devon, Conservative)

Did the Secretary of State notice that the Government of the Maldives recently held a Cabinet meeting underwater to highlight the risk to that country of climate change? Given that the Maldives is an Islamic, fully fledged democracy with strong links to this country, what steps are we taking to help them in their battle against climate change?

Douglas Alexander (Secretary of State, Department for International Development; Paisley & Renfrewshire South, Labour)

The surest way to help the people of the Maldives and, indeed, all the developing world is to ensure that we get a global deal on carbon in Copenhagen. However, I hope that in the weeks between now and the summit we will see throughout the House a genuine consensus emerge on the key issue of development and climate finance, because although the Government have pledged that we recognise the need for genuinely additional resources to deal with the challenge of adaptation, that commitment has sadly not yet been forthcoming from the Opposition. [ Interruption. ]

John Bercow (Speaker)

Order. There are too many private conversations going on. Mr. Burt, a man of your legendary courtesy knows better.

John Robertson (Glasgow North West, Labour)

What discussions has my right hon. Friend had with Nigeria about gas flaring; and can he do something about it? The people in that area are suffering from the pollution that it causes.

Douglas Alexander (Secretary of State, Department for International Development; Paisley & Renfrewshire South, Labour)

My hon. Friend, who has a great deal of knowledge of the subject, leading as I understand he does the all-party group on Nigeria, is right to recognise the issue of gas flaring. There have been considerable challenges in the delta, and I understand that there are continuing discussions on the issue, but I shall write to him.

Andrew Mitchell (Shadow Secretary of State for International Development, International Development; Sutton Coldfield, Conservative)

As I saw at the Poznan climate summit last year, representatives of developing countries are at a disadvantage, because they cannot afford to employ the hordes of lawyers and negotiators that developed countries hire. In the spirit of the right hon. Gentleman's call for a unified response throughout the House, will he look again at Conservative proposals for an advocacy fund to help poor countries to make their voices heard as effectively as possible throughout these vital forthcoming negotiations?

Douglas Alexander (Secretary of State, Department for International Development; Paisley & Renfrewshire South, Labour)

I have heard the voices of developing countries, and they have said clearly and unequivocally that they do not want development funds rebadged in toto as climate finance funds. That is why we as a Government have made a commitment that only up to 10 per cent. of our official development assistance will be used as part of the public contribution to what we hope will be a global deal in Copenhagen. Sadly, that commitment has not been forthcoming from the Opposition, but if the hon. Gentleman is concerned about the need to listen to the voices of the poor, perhaps he will give that commitment now.