§ Mr. Barry FieldTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the sites in the Solent and the 599W lagoons that have been submitted to the European Commission for designation as special areas of conservation. [2565]
§ Mr. ClappisonA third tranche of candidate special areas of conservation was forwarded to the European Commission on 14 October 1996; I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment on Wednesday 16 October,Official Report, column 1073–74. As indicated in that reply, the Solent and Isle of Wight lagoons was one of the candidate sites. This site includes all or part of the following sites of special scientific interst:
- Brading Marshes to St. Helen's Ledges;
- Gilkicker Lagoon;
- Hurst Castle and Lymington River Estuary;
- Langstone Harbour.