§ Mr. AingerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) whether he will place in the Library a copy of the draft guidelines prepared by the sea mammal research unit on precautions to minimise acoustic disturbance to small cetaceans;
(2) which bodies or organisations his Department has consulted about proposed guidelines on minimising acoustic disturbance to small cetaceans; when it began consultations; and when he expects the guidelines to be published;
(3) what plans he has to consult non-governmental organisations on draft guidelines prepared by the sea mammal research unit on precautions to minimise acoustic disturbance to small cetaceans.
§ Mr. AtkinsNo decision has yet been taken on publication of the draft guidelines.
The draft has yet to be agreed by the working party, drawn from the interdepartmental group on the implementation of the agreement on the conservation of small cetaceans of the Baltic and North seas, tasked with developing the guidelines which includes representatives of the Department of Trade and Industry, the British geological survey and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee. A member of the sea mammal research unit is the chairman.
The draft guidelines will be discussed by other Government Departments with an interest in seismic testing and the agreement on the conservation of small cetaceans of the Baltic and North seas. A decision on whether to consult more widely will be taken at that stage.
I will ensure that when the guidelines are issued, either in draft or in their final form, a copy is placed in the Library of the House.