§ Lord Melchettasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will state how many sites in the United Kingdom qualify for listing as special 895WA protection areas under EC Directive 79/409; how many sites qualify for listing under the Ramsar Convention and whether the listing of these sites under the Ramsar Convention will be completed by the end of 1986, as stated by the official United Kingdom delegate to the conference of the contracting parties to the Ramsar Convention held at Groningen (Netherlands) in May 1984.
§ Lord SkelmersdaleThe Nature Conservancy Council has identified 151 sites which satisfy the requirement for listing as special protection areas under EC Directive 79/409 and 129 sites which meet the criteria for listing under the Ramsar Convention. It is possible that more such sites may be identified in the future.
The listing of sites under the Ramsar Convention is being carried out as part of the notification and renotification of sites of special scientific interest under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. This is a complicated programme and there have been delays, though it is expected that work will be substantially complete by the end of 1987.