HL Deb 25 July 1985 vol 466 cc1456-7WA
Lord Melchett

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they agree that their apparent insistance that the Nature Conservancy Council (NCC) and other conservation organisations provide "specific evidence" that the extraction of peat from the Duich Moss Site of Special Scientific Interest on Islay in Scotland will damage the site, could only be satisfied by actually extracting peat from the site to demonstrate damage, or by carrying out a full hydrological survey of the site before extraction of peat takes place, and whether they will confirm that they effectively rejected the second, non-destructive option when they rejected the NCC's request for time to carry out an environmental impact analysis.

The Minister of State, Scottish Office (Lord Gray of Contin)

My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Scotland did not insist on any evidence being provided by the Nature Conservancy Council or other parties involved in the consideration of the planning application from Scottish Malt Distillers Limited to extract peat from Duich Moss. If any evidence, based on more than general research, as to the likely effect of the proposals on the nature conservation interest had been produced by any party, it would have been taken into account by my right honourable friend before reaching his decision. The letter of 18th December 1984, by means of which my right honourable friend granted planning permission, nevertheless noted that Scottish Malt Distillers Limited had indicated that they would have no objections to a hydrological survey of the Moss being undertaken simultaneously with the extraction of peat from Phase 1, which is limited in area to some 44 acres, with the costs being shared equally between the company and the Nature Conservancy Council. My right honourable friend stipulated, first, that no drainage of the remaining area covered by the permission may be carried out until at least 12 years after cutting operations in Phase 1 have begun and, secondly, that before any drainage work for Phase 2 is begun all the conditions relating to the method of operation should be reviewed by the planning authority in consultation with Scottish Malt Distillers Limited and the Nature Conservancy Council. I understand that so far the Nature Conservancy Council has not made any approach to Scottish Malt Distillers Limited on this matter.