§ Mr. DalyellTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what study he is making of United Kingdom international obligations in relation to the establishment of environmentally sensitive areas to protect species, such as the corncrake.
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonThe Government keep international obligations such as the EC wild birds directive and the Ramsar convention on wetlands of international importance under regular review. Potential special protection areas, which are designated under the wild birds directive, have been identified among the machair lands in the Western Isles which is the favoured habitat of the corncrake. Environmentally sensitive areas are designated by my right hon. Friend under the Agriculture Act 1986 and under the EC regulations on improving the efficiency of agricultural structures to encourage farmers and crofters to protect and enhance the conservation value of their land. The machair of the Uists, Benbecula, Barra and Vatersay was designated as an environmentally sensitive area in 1988.