§ Ms. ShortTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list all the Government employment and training measures previously operated through the DED for young and long-term unemployed, the budget for each of the last three years, and the numbers who were helped each year; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. NeedhamDetails of the Government employment and training measures previously operated through the DED for young and long-term unemployed are as follows:
reduced or for some purposes even eliminated. The Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland has a policy of declaring as areas of special scientific interest (ASSI) or of acquiring as nature reserves those peatland areas which are of highest nature conservation interest. To date, six raised bogs have been declared as ASSIs. A composite declaration including three further bogs will be made soon. Five sites are managed as national nature reserves. In Northern Ireland peat is used by domestic consumers, particularly in low-income rural areas, as a cheap fuel source. I shall promote research into alternative sources of material to fulfil some or all of the purposes to which irreplaceable peat is put.