§ Mr. GouldTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will place in the Library copies of the research commissioned by English Nature from the Institute of Hydrology and Dundee university into the hydrology of peat bogs;
(2) if he will publish any assessment made by English Nature of the effects of continual commercial peat cutting on Thorne and Hatfield moors adjacent to those areas now identified for conservation purposes and any hydrological or other research on which such assessment has been based.
§ Mr. HeseltineThe research commissioned by English Nature from the Institute of Hydrology and the University of Dundee concerning the hydrology of part of Thorne moors has just been published. A copy will be placed in the Library.
In addition a study carried out by the University of Sheffield identified a need to retain water on the national nature reserve on Thorne moors and to block the drains running from the surrounding land. This will be done under the terms of the agreement reached between English Nature and Fisons.
§ Mr. GouldTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if English Nature intends to remove site of special scientific interest status from any area of peat bog from which peat is commercially extracted.
§ Mr. HeseltineNo.
§ Mr. GouldTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will place in the Library a copy of the agreement between Fisons plc and English Nature concerning peat extraction.
§ Mr. HeseltineI refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Taunton (Mr. Nicholson) on 12 February 1992,Official Report, column 506. In addition I have arranged for a copy of the information package made available to the public by English Nature at the time of the announcement of the agreement to be placed in the Library.