§ 2.48 p.m.
§ LORD WAKEFIELD OF KENDALMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the second Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps are being taken to create nature reserves on suitable parts of the sea-bed.]
§ THE MINISTER OF STATE, FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (LORD CHALFONT)None, my Lords. Sub-littoral conservation is a complex problem involving scientific, legal and practical considerations. The Natural Environment Research Council, advised by its Nature Conservancy and Oceanography and Fisheries Committees, has the matter under active consideration. The noble Lord will know that I hope to deal with this matter in its broader aspects when I reply to an Unstarred Question later to-day.
§ LORD WAKEFIELD OF KENDALMy Lords, while thanking the noble Lord for that disappointing reply, may I ask whether he is aware that other maritime countries have created nature reserves on their littoral? Does he not think it highly desirable that in this industrialised country, where our littoral 556 is used so extensively, there should be preserved nature reserves where most valuable research and other work of that kind could go forward in a way that is impossible now? The Government are really dragging their heels quite unnecessarily in this matter.
§ LORD CHALFONTMy Lords, I shall hope to demonstrate to the noble Lord, in the course of the debate this afternoon (and perhaps I may take this opportunity to correct an unfortunate slip that I made, because, of course, we are debating this afternoon not an Unstarred Question but a Motion), that the Government are not dragging their feet on this question. I have said that the matter is under consideration, and we shall certainly take note of what the noble Lord has said.
§ BARONESS WOOTTON OF ABINGERMy Lords, when the noble Lord comes to reply to the Motion later to-day, could he perhaps make it a little more clear what is meant by nature reserves on beds? This is not perfectly clear to all of us.