§ Mr. SimsTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the United Kingdom has complied with the European Economic Community directive on the conservation of wild birds; which other members of the Community comply with the directive; and what steps Her Majesty's Government are taking to ensure that its terms are complied with throughout the Community.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyThe directive's requirements are implemented by means of part I of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 in England, Scotland and Wales and by the Wildlife (Northern Ireland) Orders 1985 and Nature Conservation and Amenity Lands (Northern Ireland) Order 1985 in Northern Ireland.
The directive is binding on all member states of the Community and requires them to introduce their own legislation to implement the directive, and to ensure that it is applied effectively. It is the responsibility of the EC Commission to check that adequate measures have been taken, and they have shown themselves willing to use their powers to refer to European courts of justice cases where, in the Commission's view, member states have failed fully to comply with the directive.