§ Mr. MorleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many prosecutions have been taken out under the Widlife and Countryside Act 1981 in England in each year since 1982 for(a) carrying out a potentially damaging operation to a site of special scientific interest and (b) contravening a nature conservation order under section 29; how may of these were successful; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. AtkinsThe information is not available in the form requested. However, since 1984 prosecutions for damage to sites of speical scientific interest under section 28 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 have been taken on 10 occasions. Prosecution is taken only in the last resort. Where a site has been damaged, the usual practice is to seek the co-operation of the landowner in restoring it.
§ Mr. MorleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many outstanding management agreements for English Nature for sites of special scientific interest protection there have been in 1993–94; what is the estimate of their cost; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. AtkinsAt 28 February 1994 there were 1,964 management agreements in force under section 15 of the 577W Countryside Act 1968. The estimated cost of these agreements in 1993–94 is £7.9 million. Further details will be published in due course in the third annual report of English Nature.