§ Ms. WalleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will ban all use of peat by his Department; whether he will formulate a national peatlands conservation policy; and if he will make a statement.
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonThe hon. Member will no doubt be pleased to note that whenever appropriate, alternatives to peat are already used by Scottish Office. We will carefully consider extending the use of peat alternatives; but it is considered premature at this stage to ban the use of peat completely.
The Government are conscious of the nature conservation importance of the peatlands of Great Britain 450W and are aware of the concerns expressed about the conflicts between peat extraction and the nature conservation interests. We believe that the best way of dealing with the complex issues raised is within the established planning and conservation framework.