§ Mr. Tony BanksTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what safeguard he has proposed for the preservation of lowland peatlands.
§ Mr. YeoA working group on peat extraction is preparing advice for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment. The Government's strategy for peatlands will be announced after receiving their advice and considering all the relevant information. Meanwhile, the future of peatlands has been secured by: their notification as sites of special scientific interest; purchase; the arrangements between English Nature and Fison's and the co-operation of the members of the Peat Producers Association, whose members have agreed not to make any planning applications to work existing or proposed peatlands SSSIs without the prior agreement of the appropriate nature conservation agency.