§ Mrs. Ray MichieTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many sites of special scientific interest are currently designated in Scotland; how many of these designations were objected to under section 28 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981; and if he will make a statement.
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonAs at 1 February 1991, 1,307 sites of special scientific interest had been notified in Scotland. A right of objection was introduced by the Wildlife and Countryside (Amendment) Act 1985, which came into effect on 26 August 1985. The Nature Conservancy Council's latest available figures are that 491 sites were confirmed during the period from 1 August 1985 to 30 November 1990 and that representations or objections were received in respect of 149 of those sites.