Marine Nature Reserves

HL Deb 15 January 1992 vol 534 cc257-9

2.48 p.m.

Baroness Nicol

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What progress has been made in the establishment of marine nature reserves.

Earl Howe

My Lords, two sites at Lundy and Skomer Island have been designated. The appropriate successor bodies to the Nature Conservancy Council are continuing the necessary consultations with interested parties at Lock Sween and in the Menai Straits.

Baroness Nicol

My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Earl for his Answer. Does he recall that in 1981, when the Act came into force, seven sites were identified? As we have just heard, only two of those have been designated in the 10 years which have passed. Can we therefore take it that the Government are no longer behind that concept? Is it the case that they are now discussing marine consultation areas which in fact are purely voluntary and will have no statutory backing at all? Will that be the Government's preferred route from now on?

Earl Howe

My Lords, I understand the disappointment of the noble Baroness, but as has been said before from this Dispatch Box, in practice there is only one way to reach an arrangement that will work effectively; namely, to obtain a consensus among all interested parties at a particular site. Unfortunately, it is inevitable that it takes a good deal of time.

With regard to marine consultation areas, the Government will shortly be initiating a consultation exercise on an MCA scheme which aims to ensure full consultation between conservation agencies and all major sea users and regulators, including government departments, wherever proposals are made which could adversely affect designated marine sites of great conservation value. We regard that initiative as complementary to that of the marine nature reserves (MNRs).

Lord Renton

My Lords, is my noble friend aware that the continued pollution of our coastal waters by oil from ships, by sewage from the land and sometimes by industrial effluent makes it rather urgent that we should establish more marine reserves? Do the Government intend to try to push people into getting ahead with that?

Earl Howe

My Lords, the Government are committed to a review of the existing legislation and other matters relating to the marine environment. In this context the important EC habitats directive agreed last month will eventually lead to a network of special areas of conservation to be known as Natura 2000, which will include marine sites as well as terrestrial sites. Each site will be of international importance for the conservation of rare or vulnerable flora and fauna and their habitats. The Government will consider the best way to meet their obligations under the directive. They intend to put their proposals before Parliament before the directive comes into force.

Lord Williams of Elvel

My Lords, does the noble Earl accept that responses from the Government Dispatch Box have been totally consistent, as have the questions from the Dispatch Box on this side of the House? Does he agree that the problem is how to achieve consensus? Does he further agree that unless the Government decide that there are some people who will never agree to marine nature reserves and therefore should be ruled out of court—in the sense of achieving a consensus—marine nature reserves will never be designated other than on a very long-term basis?

I refer the noble Earl to his response on the Menai Straits. Will he confirm that the difficulty lies with the yachtsmen in the Menai Straits? Will he also confirm that the difficulty in Skomer was with the Sub-Aqua Divers' Federation? Does he agree that in every case there is one interest which can hold up the designation of a marine nature reserve? Can he say what is happening with regard to the Menai Straits? Are the Government prepared to make sure that a consensus is not the only thing that matters and that what is important is the protection of our marine environment?

Earl Howe

My Lords, the Government are committed to establishing MNRs. I should not be prepared to use the word "never" in the context mentioned by the noble Lord. I wish the solution were as simple as waving a magic wand or the Secretary of State imposing a designation. However, the fact of the matter is that there are real complexities in taking account of the legitimate interests of those who use the sea for either their living or recreation. For that reason we feel that consensus is the only practical way forward.

With regard to the Menai Straits, progress is being made. Following the publication of the consultation paper in September 1988, the NCC for Wales, as it then was, received about 175 responses, the majority in support of the proposals, but 25 against them. Despite widespread support, there remains limited but determined opposition to the reserve mainly, as the noble Lord said, from the yachting fraternity. A revised version of the consultation document which takes account of some of the objections is in preparation, but it is unlikely that those objections will be withdrawn. Under those circumstances the Countryside Council for Wales (CCW) considers that some form of public inquiry will have to take place if the reserve is to proceed.

Lady Saltoun of Abernethy

My Lords, can the noble Earl tell the House the position regarding the proposed Loch Sween nature reserve where a number of local inhabitants objected on the grounds that their livelihoods would be endangered?

Earl Howe

My Lords, Loch Sween is a good example of the practical difficulties that have been encountered. As noble Lords will know, it was scheduled to be the first MNR in Scotland. But there have been widespread and deep concerns about the original proposals which were published in August 1990. Therefore, the way forward is through a continuing process of close liaison with all those who have an interest in the loch. To that end the south-west board of the Nature Conservancy Council for Scotland (NCCS) has appointed a member of staff dedicated solely to the task of dealing with issues of Loch Sween. He is to act as a focal point for future discussion with the local community over the proposed MNR. That process is bound to be a lengthy one, but the case illustrates well the difficulty of achieving a satisfactory MNR designation when there are differing views and fears that local life will be interfered with.